Chapter 80

“So, what are you planning to do from now on?”

It seemed like the series of events was coming to an end, but there was still one crucial thing left.

That was the Doctor’s future whereabouts.

It wasn’t really my business where the Doctor went or what he did, but if he kept hanging around me, it might get a bit troublesome.

‘…Even if I don’t care, Emerald would definitely kill him if she saw him.’

Honestly, I didn’t really care if the Doctor got killed by Emerald.

But, you know, it’s a matter of principle.

No matter what, letting someone who created you—someone like a parent—die just like that didn’t sit right with me.

Not that I was planning to go all out to stop it or anything.

“If I had my way, I’d like to take this child and bring about the downfall of humanity or something…”

“You really have no filter in front of a Magical Girl, huh.”

“W-Well, it’s not like I can do it anyway, so stop looking at me like that! As long as Akari is on your side, things like the end of humanity won’t happen!”

The Doctor jumped at Garnet’s gaze.

Not that I was particularly on humanity’s side or anything.

If I had been on humanity’s side, the monsters would have been wiped out long ago.

In the Doctor’s case, he would have been a corpse the moment I woke up in the laboratory.

“Sigh… If only that Magical Girl were here, it would have been great.”

“That Magical Girl?”

“You know, the pale one you pulled out of the test tube? Remember? Her despair was so dense and pure, perfect for experiments…”

Oh no.

I frowned at the Doctor’s words.

It wasn’t because I felt bad or uncomfortable, but because I had a feeling things were about to get annoying.

Why did he have to say that in front of Garnet?

“What did you say…?”

“Garnet.”

Garnet’s grip on her wand tightened.

It felt like she was about to pull out a Hope Energy blade and stab the Doctor with it.

She must have thought of Tamako when she heard the words ‘Magical Girl’ and ‘pale.’

‘It’s true that Tamako was the Magical Girl he used for experiments, but…’

I had just managed to divert Garnet’s attention, and now he had to go and mess it up.

Well, I should probably stop her.

If she starts swinging her blade here, it’s going to be a hassle.

“Calm down.”

“…Would you be calm if you were me?”

I sighed inwardly as hope began to boil over.

I had always thought something like this would happen, but I didn’t expect it to be now.

I started to feel like just leaving and walking away.

“Don’t stop me, Akari.”

“Why, do you want to hold him accountable for experimenting on a Magical Girl? You, of all people?”

Normally, you shouldn’t back down in situations like this.

Act like you did nothing wrong—well, I didn’t really do anything, but still.

If you stand your ground confidently, most humans would surprisingly back down.

“The lackey of Curs, who didn’t save the children being experimented on, and who killed humans who were still alive just because they were test subjects.”

“…”

“Is that person you, Doctor?”

It was all Garnet’s story.

While it was true that the Doctor had used Tamako for various experiments, and Garnet was in the position of a Magical Girl of Justice, that didn’t give her the right to judge the Doctor.

No, rather, as a Magical Girl of Justice, she probably couldn’t act too strongly because of what she had done herself.

‘Of course, I won’t care once I get out of here.’

Helping the Doctor here would be the last time.

Call it a reward for showing me an interesting sight.

I thought I could afford to be a bit considerate.

I might be hated by Garnet—but it’s not that strange for a monster to be hated by a Magical Girl, right?

“Next time, let’s talk next time.”

“Alright. If that’s what you want. And Doctor.”

“…Huh? Me?”

“…Sigh, never mind.”

I wonder if she realizes I just saved her from getting a hole punched through her body.

A genius in research but an idiot in everything else.

I think the term ‘high-functioning idiot’ perfectly describes the Doctor.

“More importantly, answer the question. What are you planning to do from now on? Are you planning to stay here?”

“This guy—well, I’ve made Aya too, so there’s no reason for me to stay here anymore.”

The Doctor said he would leave. He said he had some experiments he wanted to try.

At the mention of experiments, Garnet’s eyes sharpened again, but the Doctor didn’t seem to notice her gaze at all.

Well, with the height difference, he’d have to crane his neck to see her face, so it’s understandable.

Anyway.

“Then hurry up and leave, shoo~ shoo~”

“…Don’t shoo me away like I’m some pigeon!”

The Doctor grumbled as I waved my hand.

Well, I guess that puts out the immediate fire.

It didn’t feel like the problem was really solved, but good enough for now.

***

“The children are all alive.”

Honestly, I thought the chances of them being alive were close to zero, but surprisingly, the human children kidnapped by the Doctor were all alive and well.

I guess you can’t extract despair from dead humans, so that makes sense. But hey, good is good.

Oh, in that sense, is the Doctor a better monster than Curs?

In a human way.

“…”

“Why are you so sulky? If you’re upset that I stopped you, you can go chase after him now.”

Garnet had been silent since the earlier incident.

I thought she might be angry from hearing those words, but Garnet’s gaze was fixed on something else, not me.

‘She must be thinking about the Doctor.’

The Doctor was pretty much Garnet’s sworn enemy.

The one who kidnapped her senior, Tamako, and experimented on her.

When they first met, Garnet didn’t know Tamako’s name, so she let it slide, but now it was different.

Now that she knew the Tamako he mentioned was her senior, it was no surprise she held a grudge against him.

‘I was keeping quiet because she seemed to have half-forgotten, but this really doesn’t help…’

It was just a passing comment back then, and she was so focused on finding Curs at the time.

Tamako also tried not to talk about what happened in the laboratory, which might have dulled her grudge.

But for the Doctor to bring it up so casually, as if mocking her, must have really pissed her off.

“You’re the one born from his experiments, right?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you hate him?”

Do I hate the Doctor?

I thought about the Doctor’s face, but I didn’t feel anything like that.

I was still furious that he stole and consumed my essence of despair, but my hatred was worth more than just hating someone like the Doctor.

I can’t waste my hatred on someone like him, no way.

“Not really. I’m more surprised that you, Garnet, hold a grudge against the Doctor.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Wasn’t it Curs who sent Tamako to the Doctor? Curs was killed—well, it’s ambiguous to say killed, but you know what I mean—by the Doctor.”

I smirked as I recalled Curs, now just an empty shell, completely devoid of reason.

It’s still funny to think about, the pathetic downfall of the mastermind.

“So, should I be grateful to him?”

“Not at all. I wouldn’t have thanked him either.”

Just looking at his face always made me want to punch him.

Why, you ask?

To think I could make such a vicious monster cry. And with my own hands.

Just imagining it made my lips twitch.

“There’s no need to live your life full of hatred. Humans die too early to spend every day hating. Isn’t it better to spend that time doing something else? Like spending more time with Tamako.”

“…”

“Besides, hating is such a hassle.”

It might be fun to smack the back of the head of someone you hate, but there are so many other fun things to do. Why bother getting tangled up with someone you dislike just for fun?

It’s a waste of time.

I’d rather do something else.

“Pfft…”

“…”

“Sigh… Listening to you makes me feel like an idiot. Yeah, it’s a hassle. I almost died chasing after Curs, and now I was about to do that annoying thing again…”

Wow, here’s a monster who’s raising a Magical Girl.

The Doctor’s image was no longer reflected in Garnet’s eyes.

The only problem was that the hope within Garnet had grown even brighter.

“Thanks, Akari. That helped.”

“…Yeah, whatever.”

I reflexively shivered at Garnet’s gratitude.

I just can’t get used to it.