Chapter 88

“What are you going to do if a monster attacks while you’re this weak?”

I exhaled slowly, recalling Akari’s words.

Her gaze looked at me as if I were pathetic.

But I knew it was Akari’s way of worrying, so I couldn’t just laugh it off.

“Does Akari worrying about me mean I looked that close to the edge?”

I was a bit dizzy, but it wasn’t unbearable.

When I was searching for Akari—no, for the Apocalypse—I pushed myself harder than this.

So, this is nothing.

“You’re here again today, Miss Emerald.”

“Yes… By the way, it’s a bit noisy, isn’t it?”

The Association was unusually bustling.

Wondering if something had happened, I glanced at the guide, but her expression seemed more cheerful than serious.

As if she was happy to have less work to do—

“The magical girls who applied here arrived today!”

“…I see.”

It was a bit annoying, but it wasn’t a bad thing.

Having more magical girls to help people was always welcome.

But I couldn’t just be happy about it.

There might be someone among them who would confront Akari—or worse, someone who came here specifically for her.

‘It’s not just Ruby and Sapphire who remember the previous world…’

If I didn’t feel anything about what’s been happening lately, that would be even stranger.

Fanaticism about the world’s destruction.

Desire to overthrow the system.

Groups worshiping monsters and cults using red halos as their symbol.

[Emerald, your expression doesn’t look good.]

“I was just thinking about something else.”

[You were thinking about Akari, weren’t you?]

“…Yeah.”

At first, I thought it would all end with finding and defeating the Apocalypse.

When I realized Akari wasn’t the Apocalypse, I even felt relieved that I wouldn’t have to fight her.

And when Akari didn’t harm Sapphire and Ruby, I even felt a strange sense of certainty.

That this world was completely different from the previous one.

That people, magical girls, wouldn’t suffer anymore.

But.

‘Riots have broken out in the streets!’

‘Cultists performing human sacrifices—’

‘People are filing complaints with the Association, demanding to find the Black Angel.’

The world has started to become chaotic for different reasons.

Would it have been better if I didn’t remember the previous world?

No, if that were the case, I might have ended up fighting the Apocalypse instead of Akari, just like in the original world.

Yes, this is better.

Right now, it’s just that people don’t know Akari isn’t dangerous—

So—

“…Miss Emerald? Miss Emerald?”

“Ah, yes. Go ahead.”

“Would you like to meet them? They all mentioned your name in their application motives.”

“…My name?”

Normally, I would have been happy to hear that, but today it felt strange.

My name was written there? Why?

Suspicion overtook any pure feelings I might have had.

I know I shouldn’t suspect, but I kept doubting, doubting, doubting—

[Emerald.]

“Ah… I’ll meet them.”

I barely managed to pull myself together at May’s voice.

Snap out of it, Emerald. You know you shouldn’t suspect people so easily, right?

The guide, who smiled at my words, started leading me to the room where the other magical girls were.

What kind of people would they be?

With a mix of anticipation and unease, I entered the room, and the result was—

“Welcome, Miss Emerald.”

“Hello.”

“It feels different seeing you like this. Right?”

“…Yes, it does.”

I wish my memory was a bit worse.

Or at least, if I were better at acting, maybe it would have been different.

I couldn’t help but feel awkward in front of these familiar faces.

Because the magical girls in front of me were definitely people I remembered.

Not from this world, but from the previous one.

“I knew Miss Emerald would remember us too.”

“No, it’s only natural that you remember. After all, Miss Emerald should have been at the center during this time.”

“…”

Some of the magical girls who had gathered to defeat the Apocalypse.

And all of them had died in battle.

“Miss Emerald.”

“…Yes.”

“Can we assume you came to this remote village to defeat the Apocalypse?”

“…”

It was a question with a predetermined answer.

No matter how I answered, it would be a trap.

They knew that, which is why they asked me this.

“If not, then there’s no reason for you to be here, right?”

“I—”

“You’re not hiding the Apocalypse, are you…?”

“Come on, would Miss Emerald do that? She was the one who worked harder than anyone to defeat the Apocalypse.”

Their eyes weren’t filled with innocence.

Only madness.

“I’ll assume you came here knowing everything.”

“Knowing everything? I’m not sure what you mean.”

“That child is not the Apocalypse.”

Thud.

The room fell silent, as if someone had cut the film of a movie.

“Pfft…”

“Ahaha, ahahahaha!!!!”

“Really, really…”

What a funny joke, Miss Emerald.

The laughter died down, and the atmosphere grew heavy.

What would they think of me now?

A traitor who betrayed humanity? Or a fool deceived by the Apocalypse?

“Do you realize what you’re saying right now?”

“My answer remains the same. That child, Akari, is not the Apocalypse.”

“Well… that’s not for you to decide.”

Friends, family, neighbors—and their own lives.

The anger of those who had lost everything began to converge and aim at me.

[It seems like they’re ready to fight, Emerald.]

“…Yeah.”

As I summoned hope, the other magical girls began to rush at me.

Movements meant to subdue me somehow.

I tried to dodge, but in such a confined space, it was quite difficult.

“Everyone, calm down! Fighting among ourselves won’t solve anything!”

“It won’t solve anything, but—we can at least hold you down, right?!”

“Kuh?!”

My arm buzzed as I blocked a punch.

Physical enhancement, huh?

I could confidently say I wouldn’t lose to anyone when fighting monsters, but fighting another magical girl was a different story.

“I’m disappointed, Miss Emerald. I never thought you’d fall for the Apocalypse’s sweet words…”

“Well, maybe a good knock on the head will bring you back to your senses?”

“Stop with the violent talk. Miss Emerald has just lost her way for a moment.”

They judged and condemned me on their own.

Shaking off the tingling in my arm, I gritted my teeth, and the magical girls’ eyes sharpened.

As if asking if I still hadn’t given up.

‘…Isn’t that obvious?’

Of course, I can’t give up.

And what they said earlier about ‘holding me down.’

That definitely meant—

“If you lay a single finger on Akari—”

“Hah, hahaha… This is serious, isn’t it? Well, once that girl is gone, Miss Emerald will return to normal.”

“…Magical girls we can trust have already gone after her. Give up, Miss Emerald.”

“Don’t waste your breath, Onyx.”

They’ve already gone after her.

I didn’t think Akari would be in danger, but… what if, just what if, Akari was in danger?

Could I ever forgive these people?

“Please step aside. I don’t want to hurt any of you.”

“Sorry, but I don’t lose in fights between magical girls.”

A magical girl with a ponytail blocked my path again.

Could I break through in time?

No, I didn’t need to knock them out to escape.

Just a momentary gap. If I could slip through that and get out the door, that would be enough.

“Block the door, Onyx. And don’t cause a scene, Topaz.”

“…Okay.”

“It’s fine to be cautious, right? If she attacks… we’ll have no choice but to knock her out.”

But there were three of them.

One to block me, one to block the door, and one to oversee the situation.

Clearly, a teamwork forged through hardship and battle.

It was a shame they were using it against me, a magical girl, not a monster.

[It seems like they’re not planning to let you go, Emerald.]

“Can I break through?”

[…I’m not sure. I’ve never fought another magical girl before.]

After all, the power was given to fight monsters.

Not to fight each other.

“Your eyes say we don’t need to fight, Miss Emerald.”

“…”

“I feel the same way.”

“Then why…”

“As long as a magical girl doesn’t protect a monster.”

A statement so firm it felt cold.

I finally shut my mouth.

It seemed like they had no intention of understanding.