The Pen is Mightier
Welcome to the Happy City. Carl Heinz, an executive at H Group, crossed one leg and flashed a broad smile. He seemed confident in the magical girl aiming this way from a distance. Of course, even a magical girl couldn't possibly pierce Vira's barrier. He hadn't heard of magical girls firing spells at civilians in other cities, either.
What mattered most to the Magical Girl Association? Ensuring magical girls weren't seen as threats to citizens, but rather as friendly neighbors and idolized figures, just like heroes. Even though this wasn't H City but E City, unleashing magic on civilians would carry enormous risk for them as well.
He couldn't say "never," but under normal circumstances, a magical girl wouldn't fire on them. Under normal circumstances, that is…
'Getting attacked right now would be troublesome.'
E City had recently suffered from villain terrorism in B City. Even E City, which people had believed was a villain-free zone thanks to Evils Enterprise's tight control, was no longer considered safe. Suspicion had taken root.
What's more, they had then marched into B City and acquired Baphomet Enterprise through force. Politically, it was an extremely dangerous move. If a fight broke out with a major corporation from H City on top of that? Other cities might interpret it as Evils' aggressive expansion and band together to strike back simultaneously.
"……Are you aware that I am a member of Scholar?"
"Yes. Of course I am. Thanks to that, it took quite some time to discover that you had taken the magical girl."
"You know that Scholar members are protected by each city and government, correct?"
"It's true that Scholar members receive corporate patronage. But that doesn't mean it's an invincible shield that lets them get away with anything, does it?"
Carl Heinz lowered the corners of his mouth that had been raised so high.
"—If you're just a bookworm, then act like one and stick to your pen. Don't meddle in other domains."
Hearing those words, I furrowed my brow slightly and met Carl Heinz's gaze.
"……So magical girls are the exclusive property of H Group?"
"I'd appreciate it if you called them H City's specialty!"
"Very well. I'll return her."
"Wise decision. We didn't particularly want to make an enemy of Evils Enterprise, either."
Carl Heinz looked momentarily surprised by the easy acceptance, then immediately moved to wrap things up. He first terminated the contract between me and White Fang, and even paid the penalty fee.
As if severing all ties between me and the magical girl.
Having finished the matter in an instant, Carl Heinz told me to return White Fang to H City today. I nodded and said I understood, then looked down at the torn contract.
"—Then I'll be on my way. Please send the magical girl back to H City today."
I watched Carl Heinz's smug face as he left with that irritating smile, then silently stared at the table. Vira, who had been standing guard, quickly approached and patted my shoulder, perhaps thinking I looked pitiful.
"You did well, Eight. If you'd fought back there, the citizens would've been in danger even if you weren't."
"……Pfft."
"Eight?"
"Puhahaha—!"
But I burst into laughter without paying any attention to Vira's attempt to comfort me. I couldn't hold it back. My research on the spirits had been finished for a long time. Even if Carl Heinz hadn't come, I would've sent the magical girl back to H City soon anyway.
However, if he had gone out of his way to pick a fight like this, and in doing so damaged my and my organization's reputation, then I had no choice but to repay him in kind.
'Stick to your pen like a bookworm?'
I'll do exactly as he asked. Just like the bookworm who used to roll his pen in his room, I'll roll my pen and repay him. After all, the pen is mightier than the sword. Some pens, even more so.
"—Director. Did you really have to do that?"
In the car returning to H City, Carl Heinz let out a hollow laugh as he looked at the magical girl daring to offer him advice. She seemed to think she was someone important just because he'd hired her.
But Carl forced a smile without showing his true feelings.
"What do you mean?"
"He seemed like quite an impressive person…… I was wondering if there was any need to provoke him like that."
"Haha—! It's true that Scholar members aren't just ordinary bookworms rolling pens. Absolutely not."
Scholar members were the greatest scholars in the world. Geniuses among geniuses, ranking in the top five if humanity were lined up by ability.
Of course, such people couldn't simply be called bookworms, but that didn't mean they were untouchable figures who must never be provoked.
"However, there are more than just a few Scholar members…… and the value our corporation creates is something that can never be replicated by mere science."
"Is that so……"
"Yes. That's right. No one can replicate it."
By the time they arrived in H City, Carl Heinz felt a sensation clearly licking at his soul and shuddered. This was it. An inexplicable domain that science could never interpret or replicate.
The authority belonging solely to the Fairy Queen, who had an exclusive contract with H City—or more precisely, with Heavens Company.
Carl Heinz, who had been the first to recognize the potential of this domain, immediately formed a contract with the Fairy Queen and ensured that this power could only be used in H City.
That was the reason why magical girls and World's Enemies only appeared in H City among the twenty-six cities.
"Director! Are you returning from a business trip?"
"Yes, I am."
"I see! Have a happy day today as well!"
Upon arriving at the company, Carl Heinz watched an employee greet him cheerfully before leaving. The employee had only three fingers on one hand.
They had been severed in an industrial accident not long ago, yet the employee voiced no complaints. The reason was that they were happy only two fingers had been lost, when the entire hand could have been.
For the same reason, H Group's employees boasted the lowest wages relative to working hours among the twenty-six cities, yet none of them complained.
Simply being able to work made them happy.
"Yes, have a happy day as well."
Thanks to the employees who worked under unimaginable intensity and low wages without complaint, H Group had grown tremendously.
The mass-produced goods made by H Group had come to dominate the entire world. There was only one reason this was possible: the magical girls and World's Enemies that existed only in H City.
World's Enemies fed on human misfortune. In other words, no matter how much misfortune or despair humans felt, it wasn't a major problem.
'I can't hand this over to others.'
That was why he had reacted so sensitively when Eight took the magical girl. The Fairy Queen had said that magical girls and World's Enemies were two sides of the same coin. If a magical girl left for another city, World's Enemies could appear there as well.
What if World's Enemies appeared in other cities? Other cities that realized H City's uniqueness would try to steal magical girls by any means to enjoy this benefit themselves.
After all, the technology to mass-produce obedient slaves was a power that any vested interest would covet.
'Was there any need to provoke a Scholar member?'
There was no need. However, there was also no need to fear them. As Carl Heinz, who roughly knew what kind of research they were conducting as their sponsor, he had no reason to fear Eight or the other members.
After all, science could never reach the domain of magic. The Fairy Queen had said it was an unparalleled power she had never seen in her entire life.
Carl Heinz trusted the Fairy Queen.
"D-Director! It's an emergency!"
"……What is it all of a sudden?"
"I-I'm sorry. It's just that the matter is extremely urgent……"
"What on earth is going on?"
"P-Please look at the TV."
At his subordinate's sudden words, Carl Heinz frowned but obediently turned on the TV. The news channel he usually watched greeted him immediately.
Other cities' people didn't seem to have noticed yet, but Carl Heinz, who encountered these monsters every day, realized it immediately.
It was a World's Enemy. Something that was only supposed to appear in H City.
"……Why is that thing over there."
There was no time to be surprised. Before Carl Heinz could even think of a response, the anchor on the news screen delivered another breaking report.
"Y-Yes!"
Carl Heinz shouted. He couldn't just sit back and watch World's Enemies roaming other cities. Especially since leaving them alone would mean losing H City's exclusive position.
While he was shouting at his subordinates, the anchor on the news shouted again.
Carl Heinz felt a chill run down his spine. Something was happening.