Chapter 123
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Magical Lucky Day
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"Is... is this good enough?"
The Magical Captain glanced at me cautiously.
I shook my head firmly.
"Are you insane?"
"O-okay."
At my words, the Magical Captain broke out in a sweat and repeated her previous motion.
"H-how about now?"
"Higher."
Once more.
"C-cold... isn't this... enough...?"
"Higher."
Once more.
"......I'm seriously gonna die, please."
"Higher."
One more time.
How many times had the Magical Captain done this by now?
She shot me a pleading look that screamed for mercy.
"N-now it's impossible. Without a Magical ladder, I can't stack it any higher─"
"Then go get one."
Of course, that wasn't my problem.
"......Got it."
In the end, the Magical Captain fetched a ladder from somewhere and resumed the task.
What I'd tasked the Magical Captain with was building a tower.
Using cup ramen, as tall as possible.
There was only one goal.
To commemorate Flatty, whose life had been cut short by the Magical Captain's blunder.
Surprisingly, the Magical Captain was cooperative.
Of course, my eyes were half-rolled back when I gave the order, and she was pale as a ghost but obeyed without a peep.
─ "I-I'll do whatever you say, just please don't tell the Magical Battalion Commander! I beg you!"
Whether it was my menacing aura or some realization from seeing Flatty that did it, I didn't even need to persuade her. Lucky break.
I knew full well that using cup ramen like this could come back to bite me later.
That's why I'd been racking my brain for other ways to dispose of them up until now.
But this time, there was no helping it.
For Flatty's funeral, I was willing to take any risk. Worst case, I could pin it all on the Magical Captain since she did it herself.
Separately from that, though, I planned to have a little chat with her later.
There were still some unresolved grudges.
Like what she did to Whitey.
Or vengeance for Flatty.
But for now, Flatty's funeral took priority, so I kept my mouth shut and gave orders.
Meanwhile, word must have spread somehow, because a bunch of Magical Girls showed up at this remote spot to pay their respects.
Each one carrying armloads of cup ramen.
"Our deepest condolences. May Magical Flatty rest in peace."
"Thank you."
"It's not much, but please accept this..."
"No need to worry about it."
Even if the Magical Girls didn't think much of me, funerals seemed to be an exception. They all showed proper etiquette and brought cup ramen for the tower materials.
And not just that—some even volunteered to help stack the tower.
How much time passed like that?
Finally, the tower was complete.
A truly sky-high cup ramen tower.
You could barely see the top looking up, and even climbing a ladder made it hard to reach the summit.
This should be enough.
There were no more materials anyway.
"Shall we begin?"
"Partner, if you would."
At Sora's words, the fox mascot stepped forward.
The fox mascot stared at the cup ramen tower for a moment, then stood before the Magical Girls and carefully spoke a few words about Flatty.
[He was the hero we needed.]
The Magical Girls nodded vigorously in agreement, some even shedding quiet tears of sorrow.
This was unexpected.
I hadn't thought they'd all empathize and grieve like this.
I'd even been ready to draw my Moonlight Sword if anyone mocked Flatty's death, but thankfully, no need.
Now all that was left was to burn Flatty's remains and the cup ramen tower without even leaving ashes behind.
Yes. I planned a cremation.
There had been talk of burying him, but in the end, everyone agreed on cremation.
The deciding factor was the sentiment that, having spent his life trapped in a cramped cage, at least in the end he should roam free in the skies.
Some might wonder.
What's the point of building a tower like this?
It's just going to burn up and vanish anyway.
But that's not true.
Even if it seems meaningless, even if no trace remains, the act of building this tower holds immense significance.
The tower of cup ramen standing here now wasn't just any tower.
In a world where mascots exist, it was a monument honoring Flatty, who had overcome his fate as a mere pet.
At the same time, it was a memorial to soothe Flatty, who would live on only in memories.
"Rest in peace..."
We placed Flatty at the very top of the tower.
Inadequate compared to his feats, but I earnestly wished that the beings on the ground could still look up to him.
"Sora, if you would."
"Transform."
Sora nodded with a somber expression and transformed into a Magical Girl.
Transformation outside of emergencies was technically forbidden, but this was an exceptional situation: Flatty's funeral.
Especially since the Magical Captain wasn't stopping it—any blame later would fall squarely on her.
Meanwhile, Sora, now transformed, reverently raised her magic wand in its gohei form.
"Embrace with fire."
⟨ Fire Wishes Ashes ⟩
Blue flames began to envelop everything with gentle mercy.
The cup ramen tower we'd built for Flatty.
And Flatty himself at the pinnacle.
Flatty's cold corpse made a crisp rustling sound upon touching the fire, gradually crumbling away.
That day, Flatty ascended as a crunchy soul.
"Hoo."
The Magical Battalion Commander let out a deep sigh.
"This is exhausting."
Today had been grueling, as usual.
Already tough days thanks to Magical Girl Purple Snake, and now on top of that, Magical endurance training. How could it not be?
The reason for holding the Magical endurance training at night was nothing special. The assigned Magical Girl had forgotten and insisted on doing it late.
'That fucking bitch.'
If that was the case, just postpone it. The Magical Battalion Commander ground her teeth.
Thanks to her, the moment rations of cup ramen were ordered, the Magical Battalion Commander had to undergo endurance training right away. It had just ended, and she was on her way back.
Needless to say, she wasn't heading back for rest.
She was returning for Magical duties.
"Ha."
Of course. Whether endurance training or discipline education, it didn't lighten the workload.
The Magical Girl who'd assigned it, Purple Snake, wouldn't cut her any slack anyway. Skipping it would just hurt the Battalion Commander herself.
'It'd just give her more ammo.'
Then, a thought suddenly crossed the Magical Battalion Commander's mind.
'Maybe it's about time to put it to use.'
It concerned the stag beetle she'd been raising.
Not a mere hobby pet. The Magical Battalion Commander had her own purpose.
'Time to attach the bugs and camera.'
Information gathering.
She planned to equip the stag beetle with a wiretap and camera to collect all sorts of intel.
Or, more bluntly, to snag weaknesses.
From tricky or key targets.
The former: Magical Girl Purple Snake.
The latter: Magical Girl White Phoenix.
'And...'
Recently, Kim Siyul, who could use magic, deserved inclusion too.
White Phoenix had been top priority originally, but lately, she'd reshuffled.
Kim Siyul and Magical Girl Purple Snake on the same level.
White Phoenix below them.
'A pair of shitty bastards.'
Of course, Kim Siyul and Purple Snake didn't torment her in the exact same way.
But.
When it came to results, the two very different people boiled down to one thing for the Magical Battalion Commander.
Evil incarnate in human form.
If anything, Purple Snake edged out slightly higher priority.
Kim Siyul was chaos.
Stay away, and you avoided the fallout.
Most of the time, anyway.
Purple Snake, on the other hand, kept pressuring the Magical Battalion Commander relentlessly.
Like a viper slowly tightening around its prey's throat.
That's why she needed a fatal weakness on Purple Snake to seize and shake.
For instance.
'Where the hell is that bitch's family?'
Hostages, say.
Purple Snake was the epitome of a thorough Magical Girl. Naturally, she'd never revealed her family's info to anyone.
At best, vague guesses like "a few members." No address, not even a photo—zero intel.
'Well, a little patience, and I'll find out.'
Her suffering would soon end.
By secretly sending the stag beetle into Purple Snake's private quarters to uncover it.
It'd take time, but so what?
Waiting was the Magical Battalion Commander's specialty.
The reason for using the stag beetle was simple.
Not a mascot, so it evaded Magical security devices detecting magic power, and perfect for hiding in dark corners.
'Pretty smart for a bug.'
Especially how unusually obedient it was—that had inspired the plan.
At that moment, another thought flashed through her mind.
'Oh, right.'
When was the last time she fed the stag beetle treats? The Magical Battalion Commander mumbled to herself.
She'd raised it with purpose, but after all this time, she felt some attachment beyond mere breeding.
Of course, once the real plan kicked off, she'd discard it without hesitation. That's all it was.
Just not right now.
"Hmm."
In a way, it was truly unique.
The one thing letting the Magical Battalion Commander relax.
Consider her current situation.
Purple Snake above, Kim Siyul below, both driving her mad.
Even the other Magical Girls in the unit were hard to reason with. And lately, the Magical Captain kept testing her.
'Thinking about it pisses me off, that bitch.'
Compare to the stag beetle.
No troublemaking.
Obedient enough.
Practically her mascot. Not literally, but figuratively.
'...Sorry about that.'
Realizing she'd neglected her one comfort made her feel a bit down.
In that case.
'Might as well treat myself a little.'
One day of indulgence wouldn't hurt.
For the stag beetle.
The Magical Battalion Commander turned her steps toward the Magical barracks briefly.
"Good call buying this."
She grabbed a watermelon.
Of course, she knew water-heavy fruits like watermelon weren't great for stag beetles.
Even though it loved them, she'd only given it once and never again.
But.
'Eh, whatever.'
Today's fine. She muttered as she headed out.
Physically a bit heavy.
But psychologically light steps.
Soon, opening the Battalion Commander office door, she called out brightly.
"I'm ba─"
But her words trailed into confusion.
"......Huh?"
Gone.
The stag beetle that always stood proudly in its cage was nowhere today.
"Where'd it go...?"
No way it escaped. The Magical Battalion Commander quickly searched every corner of the office.
But all that turned up was thick dust.
Nothing else.
The watermelon slipped powerlessly from her hand.
"I brought watermelon..."
Why couldn't it eat? She called out hollowly for the stag beetle.
Of course, her voice echoed back with no response, scattering into emptiness.
Empty as the vacant cage.