The Epilogue of the Endless Tragedy
Still in the era when they were competing with Magical Candy, Sister Nana had collapsed her deal with the Forest Musician Cranberry. She then sought cooperation from Ripple, Snow White, and Shinomiya Gaku, the internal faction of the Magical Kingdom.
She also set off for the hotel to request assistance from Calamity Mary, the infamous Western outlaw. It was a mix of protest and necessity.
“I have heard rumors that you use your magical power to commit illegal acts. Not only does this gravely damage the honor of magical girls, but…”
The Western gun-toting magical girl spoke with a relaxed tone.
“I’ll tell you this only once.”
“Eh?”
“Do not oppose Calamity Mary. Do not bother her.”
Calamity Mary drew her revolver from her hip. Winterprison, seeing it, shouted at Sister Nana.
“Nana!”
“Don’t make me angry!”
When the bullet flew, Winterprison raised a wall of magic to defend. The square wall rose from the ground, yet Calamity Mary slipped sideways to dodge and fired again.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
But each time a new wall shot up, the attacks landed nowhere.
Winterprison deliberately weakened one wall surface, using the opening to disarm the revolver.
But when Mary seized the gun once more and poured out bullets, Winterprison blocked with her barrier and fled with Sister Nana.
Calamity Mary ended up missing them both.
“Where are they?”
“Conversation seems pointless. Excuse me.”
Winterprison scooped up the sobbing Sister Nana and leaped down to the floor below.
Back in the present, a message reached Swim Swim about dealing with Sister Nana amid the rule where the target was pointed out and magical girls died.
It was simply to trim numbers. With Fav’s rule still in effect—only eight out of sixteen would advance—reducing the team first would give them an edge.
Sister Nana and Winterprison were conversing.
“There’s also the old Calamity Mary case.”
“Yes… that incident was incredibly shocking.”
“Let’s stay vigilant. Only eliminate those we can trust.”
“Yes… that’s right.”
“It’s fine. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.”
“Thank you, Winterprison.”
Swim Swim peeked through the door of the Ogetsu and muttered.
“Winterprison.”
Recalling Ruler’s words.
If there are obstacles, use your own power minimally and subordinates’ maximally to remove them. That is the true power of a leader.
The magical girls in angel costumes stared at their Magical Phones and muttered.
“Winterprison is going to go one-on-one with Calamity Mary.”
“Sister Nana is gonna brag so much~”
“She protected me~”
“Annoying!”
“Winterprison is pretty capable too. Calamity Mary’s said to be super strong, right?”
As soon as Calamity Mary’s name came up, Ruler exploded in rage and roared at her subordinates.
“You idiots! Morons! Brainless fools! Why are you chatting? Are you mocking me?!”
“We aren’t mocking you.”
“No~”
“Tch! You’ve killed my mood. I’m leaving now. Don’t forget cleanup!”
Then Tama, the magical girl in dog costume, spoke up.
“Why is she like that, Ruler?”
Yunael addressed Minael.
“That’s because you were talking about Calamity Mary.”
“Calamity Mary?”
“Ruler used to be her education handler~”
“Heh… I never heard that.”
“What happened back then?”
“Was Ruler scared of Calamity Mary and trying to hide it out of embarrassment?”
“Scared, yeah. Scared.”
“Anyway~ If Sister Nana’s right, then Winterprison must be really strong, right?”
“That’s right~”
Swim Swim couldn’t know whether Ruler had actually done that, but from the situation, Calamity Mary didn’t seem likely to show up at a summons.
But if it was Winterprison, she would definitely come if Sister Nana lured her.
If I defeat that girl, can I surpass Ruler?
The door to Ogetsu opened.
In front of them stood Sister Nana and Winterprison. Sister Nana entered with a smile.
“Excuse me. It’s been a while, Swim Swim. Thank you for the Magical Candy gift last time.”
It had been the defeated Ruler’s Magical Candy she’d sprinkled.
“Snow White, Hardcore Alice, and even the external Magical Kingdom factions have agreed to cooperate. Please, cooperate with us as well…”
Swim Swim stepped forward. Winterprison blocked in front of Sister Nana.
“Stop, Swim Swim.”
Swim Swim gave a signal.
“Go.”
Sister Nana was pushed down, and suddenly two identical Sister Nanas appeared. Winterprison panicked.
The real Sister Nana spoke.
“You are…?”
“Please help me, Winterprison!”
The voice was identical, leaving Winterprison bewildered. One of the identical Nanas drove a knife into her.
The deep wound stunned Winterprison. One of the identical Sister Nanas sprouted a wing and laughed while soaring through the air.
The winged fake Sister Nana reverted to her original form, Yunael.
Then the two angel magical girls high-fived and cheered.
“We did it! We did it! We did it!”
A scream erupted from Sister Nana.
“Kyaaaaaaaah…!”
Sister Nana collapsed. She could no longer make a sound.
“That’s how it turned out?”
Winterprison said. Swim Swim raised a blade like a samurai sword. From the floor, stones erupted and hurled Sister Nana away.
“Run!”
“Aaaaaaaaah…”
Again the scream. Sister Nana was flung outside the barrier.
Winterprison used magic to create a cubic wall, trapping the two twin magical girls.
The twins shouted.
“What is this?”
“It’s dangerous! We’re trapped!”
“Run!”
With a thud, Winterprison grabbed Yunael’s hair. She glared at her and said.
“Thank you. If you had kept her appearance…”
Yunael called out fearfully to her twin sister.
“Big sister…”
Even if I knew they were fakes, I couldn’t have raised a hand.
Winterprison slammed the back of Yunael’s head hard against the wall. Blood splattered everywhere.
Minael screamed at Winterprison.
“Yuna!”
At that moment, Fav’s voice flowed from the Magical Phone.
“Situation ended. If Winterprison kills the magical girl I name with Yunael’s death, it’s good. Ah, of course, finish it slowly after the situation ends. Anyway, this clears Calamity Mary’s designation.”
Minael attacked Winterprison in fury. Winterprison generated a wall to clash with her, leaping through the air in pursuit.
Swim Swim never missed the chance. With the samurai sword, she severed Winterprison’s arm. The left arm flew off.
Winterprison gazed at the severed arm and recalled a past moment.
It was a cold winter with snow falling.
“Shizuku’s hands are magical.”
“What are you talking about, all of a sudden?”
“Even just touching me like this feels happy.”
“That’s right… yeah…”
Nana handed her the muffler.
“Here…”
“A muffler… for me?”
“It’s your birthday, isn’t it?”
“You remembered. Thank you, Nana.”
Nana’s voice came through.
“Now our long-awaited wish has come true.”
“This is…?”
“Nana…!”
The memories of when they became magical girls flashed through. Seeing Nana in nun costume had been quite a shock. Her appearance had been completely different.
“You’re Nana?”
“From now on, call me Sister Nana. I’m Wes Winterprison…”
Back in reality, she called Nana’s name.
“Sister… Nana, Nana… please, please…”
“Stay safe…”
Minael shook her twin sister Yuna’s corpse.
“Yuna… Yuna…!”
But when a magical girl died, she reverted to her original form, so Yunael was clearly dead.
Meanwhile, Sister Nana fled staggering from the barrier, crying.
“Wes Winterprison has died to Swim Swim, so the designation passes to Swim Swim. Since two have died, choose slowly over the next two days.”
Minael said.
“Yuna saved me in the end, didn’t she? Yuna… Yuna…”
Minael began to cry. Tama beside her also cried and collapsed.
Swim Swim watched the scene. She felt no pity for her comrades’ grief, thinking Ruler would surely have handled it better.
If Ruler were here, she would surely…