36 – Let’s be friendly (4)
Blue Sirius, who looked out the window with melancholy eyes, felt an unapproachable charm.
It was so beautiful, but there was a solitude that I dare not approach.
Suddenly, she turned to Baek Ah-hee. Baek Ah-hee, who was staring blankly at him, trembled. It was a shock as if ice had entered his body. It was even more beautiful today.
It was an ominous beauty.
“I’m sorry, I was looking for you, but I neglected you. What did you come for?”
“Oh, that, that.”
Baek Ah-hee hesitated. Can I bring up the story of the monster now? Maybe it just adds to the unnecessarily disturbing feeling.
Seeing her like that, Blue Sirius smiled bitterly once more.
“You were going to ask me to teach you how to become stronger again, right?”
“Ah… yes, yes! That’s right! hehehehe…”
He smiled shyly and nodded his head. It must have been memorable because it was said so often. In fact, she often asked Blue Sirius for tips on fighting or secrets to becoming stronger.
The answer that came back was always the same.
“I’ve said it many times, but I’m not strong. It’s better not to expect too much. Besides, each magical girl’s magic varies greatly, so it’s better to find a fighting method that suits you rather than fighting according to others’ advice. And…”
The answer that came back every time. It was the same this time too. However, more words followed today.
“Vega… No, Ah-hee. Don’t be too surprised and listen.”
Once again, I felt the ominous beauty of earlier. The reason was because of the snow.
“Because I… was invited to retire… this time?”
Her eyes held a faint light like snowflakes on thorns. It was a beauty that seemed like it would melt at any moment.
“…Yeah?”
“Actually, it’s not strange. I’m still at an age where it’s strange to be active. I’ve often heard it through rumors from before. But… it’s just the first time I’ve heard it in front of my eyes.”
Magical girl’s retirement.
That period is abnormally fast compared to other jobs. Among sports players, it is comparable to figure skaters who are said to retire early.
By the time they’re in their early to mid-twenties, most magical girls are contemplating retirement.
“Ah, Sirius is still strong! But why are you retiring…”
Baek Ah-hee knows even as she speaks.
A magical girl’s retirement isn’t simply because she’s out of power.
“He won’t bet wrong!”
There are characteristics unique to magical girls.
doesn’t get old
After the body has grown to a certain extent, aging is significantly delayed, as if it receives less time.
No loss of power due to aging occurs.
How can there be a loss of power when you can fight while maintaining the appearance of the heyday?
So, there are other reasons for retiring.
“I heard you got stronger this time!
Humans have limits.
No matter how much attention you like, if you continue to receive excessive attention, you will wither and die.
If you give too much water to a plant, it is like returning to death.
“The dilemma… I’m going to move on now…”
You have to smile in front of them even while constantly looking at the corpse. When you save someone, you are praised, but when you fail to do so, you are criticized for doubling your praise.
If the body affects the mind, then vice versa.
An impoverished mind creates an impoverished body.
The body does not age, and even if injured, it recovers quickly. But the mind is different. Once scratched, sticky ooze comes out constantly. The names of the ooze are sadness, guilt, and shame.
If you are drowning in such things and swimming.
Someone insinuates
stop resting now
Don’t kill yourself while saving people.
A magical girl’s retirement is not decided by herself. The sense of responsibility that has been nurtured by protecting people since I was a teenager prevents me from doing that. someone else is saying
You are no longer in a condition to work.
It is more disgraceful than anything, and the shame makes the heart of retirement even more.
“Of course I’m not saying I’m going to do it right now.”
Blue Sirius answered Baek Ah-hee’s gloom.
“That’s what I’m like now. It means you picked the wrong person to ask the question. Ahhee, didn’t you start Magical Girl pretty late? That’s why you’re nervous. But you don’t have to. You’re getting strong enough now. “If you try to run faster here, you’ll just fall over.”
“Ha, but now there are stronger monsters…”
“Oh hee.”
Blue Sirius’ voice was soft, but hard.
“Our fall is death. We cannot rise again.”
It was a coincidence, but it resembled the words of the monster I originally wanted to ask.
“Magical girls retire early. That’s why, until then, we have to protect as many people as possible. Ah-hee, our deaths have no value. Do you think monsters will stop working just because we’re dead? Just because we’re dead doesn’t mean monsters disappear. It’s not like that. In the end, it’s a loss that will end with a moment of emotion.”
Blue Sirius, who has been active as a magical girl for nearly 10 years, said that the value of life was infinitely light. There was no admiration, no joy, no respect.
Death was just death.
It has no value.
“Oh, walk. Don’t run or fly. Walk so you don’t fall. Then one day you’ll be able to reach the strength you want.”
Baek Ah-hee wanted to ask.
Then how many corpses do you have to leave behind that step?
I couldn’t ask in the end.
Blue Sirius, because she couldn’t dare imagine the number of corpses she had seen.
How many bodies have I had to carry in the last 10 years? How much did you suffer from it? I couldn’t imagine.
But even if you can’t imagine it, you will soon know.
She is also a magical girl like her.
After a while, you’ll be in the same situation.
**
In the end, it was a visit to the hospital that only added to the burden of the heart.
“Haa… ah.”
I sighed again and my side hurt again. The pain was worse than before, perhaps because I had screamed earlier.
[tutelar….]
Her mascot, Ribbon, spoke with pity. Because it was a mascot that could share her heart, I could see how great her grief was.
I heard one after another that a senior I respected was seriously injured and that that senior might retire.
I couldn’t help but feel confused.
The steps that I tried to solve my worries did not solve anything and brought new worries again.
“ribbon….”
He cried and hugged his mascot. When her hand touched it, the invisible mascot became real. A cute figure like a cat doll.
He pressed his face into the fluffy hair and rubbed it vigorously. It seemed to be healed by the unique touch.
[tutelar….]
Unlike before, the mascot muttered in a voice that was waking up.
“Oh why, I’ll write for a while.”
[I am not a doll Guardian…]
I calmed my troubled mind by lightly letting go of the mascot’s voice.
I understand the maxim itself to save one’s life.
But isn’t that an attitude that should change depending on the situation?
‘It’s strange for a magical girl to run away saying her life is in danger.’
Is it because I’m still young and I can’t understand words? Baek Ah-hee tilted her head.
[tutelar.]
“Hmm… Being a magical girl is really difficult, Ribbon…”
[tutelar.]
“Am I the outgoing type to hear such a thing…? Ribbon, am I a bit reckless?”
[tutelar! Dangerous!]
“Huh? What…”
When I removed my face from Ribbon’s body, there was a face right in front of me.
“It’s reckless not to look around while walking.”
“…?!”
A violent hand approached her, and before she could scream in surprise, she covered her mouth.
“Eup!”
I tried to shout, but it was already too late. He blocked her arm with the other hand to prevent her from transforming and whispered quietly.
“Be quite.”
I was scared for a moment. The power of a monster hit in a helpless state. My legs gave out in front of that overwhelming force.
He wanted to resist, but his body, contracted by tension, refused to do so. Like a prey hardened by eye contact with a predator, she was dragged into the hands of the watcher as she was.
“I’m sure no one will see it from here.”
The watcher, who dragged her into an obscure back alley, swung her hand holding her mouth.
My body flew through the air with a hook and then rolled on the ground. An excruciating pain ran down his back. Even so, he did not forget the familiar falling method and reduced the shock.
“…why are you suddenly.”
“Does a monster need a reason for attacking people?
“If you would tell me…”
Baek Ah-hee stood up, forcibly moving her trembling legs. Perhaps it was because of the slight trust, it came as a more shock.
After all, was the monster a monster?
“Yes, I’ll tell you. I’ve been threatened with death if I don’t attack you.”
Red Vega knew right away that it was an impossible lie.
If even the same monster gets on his nerves, he wasn’t afraid to engage, but who is he being threatened by?
Red Vega wiped his face. It felt slightly damp. I was so surprised that even tears came out.
“Do not lie.”
“It’s real, but it’s sad that you don’t believe me.”
Looking at the watcher who shrugged with a relaxed attitude, Baek Ah-hee gritted her teeth. am i kidding
Although she is often mistaken for being docile, she is basically hot-tempered.
He has many emotional ups and downs and is very moved, but he is also often angry.
If someone provokes it, it is easy to get over it, and there are many misunderstandings.
The appearance of the opponent who gave him his first defeat.
He cooled his surprised heart and heated up his passion.
“I’m glad you attacked me.”
If this was an ordinary citizen, he would have died without much resistance. He clenched his fists, thinking that he had been attacked as a kind of luck. The fear I had just acquired has now been crumpled.
Pizza the clenched fist, and a small ember rose in her palm. It was a spark like a jewel. The mascot raised his hand to the embers. turned into a ribbon.
A red ribbon stretched from the handle, studded with gorgeous jewels. A shape similar to the ribbons used by gymnasts rather than those used for clothing. I drew a circle by spinning the ribbon above my head.
“Dress up!”
[Dress up your star!]
Light poured like a waterfall from the circular ribbon. The red light covered her body from the outside like a curtain.
The clothes she was wearing flew to ashes. Her naked body was covered with starlight, and that starlight became sparks again, and those sparks were reborn as clothes.
I threw off my body of reality and put on fantasy.
A red top skirt appeared on top of a white dress resembling a school uniform, and various ribbons, frills, and jewelry accessories decorated her. Her hair, which had been undone, caught the light of the stars and glowed red like flames, becoming parted and fluttering.
The curtain that was covering Baek Ah-hee opened, revealing her changed appearance.
Finally, the curtain gathers around her chest and becomes a ribbon with a jewel in the center.
Like that, Baek Ah-hee became Red Vega.
“Like a red comet in your heart! Red Vega appears!”
Watcher applauded and admired the transformation. In less than a second, all the previous transformations were completed. It is different from his own transformation, which consumes well over 3 seconds each time he transforms.
It would be better to do it that fast rather than the defense system when transforming.
Other people’s rice cakes look bigger, and it looks good because it’s more convenient than a belt transformation.
Red Vega asked in a sad voice as she straightened up.
“…Can we be friends?”
“That’s troublesome.”
The watcher tapped his belt. The quest completion tone hasn’t sounded yet. Means I need to tease her a little more.
“I’m sorry.
“Your way of speaking is a bit strange!”
Red Vega clenched his fists and lunged at him.
“Of course, no!”
“Then make me sick.”
The Watcher also clenched his fist and reached out to her.
Two fists met.
