Chapter 125

“Do you need a script?”

“No.”

I shook my head.

I don’t need a script.

After doing a couple of broadcasts, I realized things never go according to the script.

Besides, something like this shouldn’t just be read off a script.

There are moments in life when courage is needed.

I’ve had many moments in my life where I needed courage.

Every time, what I felt was that if I just ran away, an even bigger moment requiring courage would come.

For example… well, when you think you won’t meet the monthly goal and you’re too scared to say it, but if you just say it, it might break a little, but if you make a big fuss and still fail, you’ll get even more scolded… Isn’t that it?

Anyway, there are moments when courage is needed, and right now, I was facing the moment that required the most courage.

“What about makeup?”

“That’s fine too. It’s not like I’m going to dress up for a good occasion.”

Aqua nodded at my words, agreeing.

Since Eve was so busy, Aqua was taking care of everything I couldn’t handle alone.

Eve said she was sorry for not being able to help, but it wasn’t something she needed to apologize for.

“Anyway, it’s tomorrow. So, how do you feel?”

“How I feel…”

It would be funny if I said I didn’t expect to do another broadcast, right?

But this isn’t the place for that kind of talk.

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t you feel wronged?”

I glanced at Aqua while sitting on the sofa.

I wondered how I’d respond if she had a playful expression, but surprisingly, Aqua didn’t have that kind of expression either.

She was looking at me with a serious expression.

“It’s not something to feel wronged about.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Why isn’t it my fault?”

“You didn’t kill anyone directly, yet you have to apologize. If you think about it, you fought to protect people.”

I fell into thought at Aqua’s words.

Her words weren’t entirely wrong.

If you think about it, I fought to protect people, and at least I never killed anyone.

But tomorrow, I was planning to bow my head and apologize for the Mogmog Group’s past mistakes in front of everyone.

Aqua was asking about that.

But if you ask if I did nothing wrong… I did.

“I didn’t think enough. I was just caught up in the popularity and didn’t think about the path the organization I belonged to had taken. That’s my fault.”

Not turning away from the past, facing it head-on.

Clearing the past and promising that such things won’t happen again.

I should have done that.

“Hmm.”

“Why?”

Aqua was looking at me with a strange expression.

She stared for a moment and then burst out laughing.

“You’re really out of your mind.”

“Insulting me with a smile.”

“It’s not a bad meaning.”

If it’s not a bad meaning, why insult me?

Anyway, I have trauma from broadcasting.

I did two broadcasts, and both were disasters.

One time, I messed up my words, and the other time, Kabe interrupted, causing a mess.

Now I can laugh it off, but honestly, at the time, I was so embarrassed I wanted to find a place to die.

And now I have to do another broadcast.

“Are you really not going to do makeup?”

“I said no.”

It’s not like it’s a good broadcast to do makeup for.

“What about a wheelchair?”

“I said I’m not using it!”

I can’t tell if she’s serious or joking.

Aqua kept laughing while watching me get flustered.

“What’s so funny that you’re so excited?”

“Oh, did it seem that way?”

“Yeah. Your face was just blooming with smiles.”

“Oh no, misunderstanding.”

What misunderstanding?

“Do I look very nervous?”

“Yeah. Your face is all stiff.”

That’s probably true.

I don’t want to do this… I really don’t want to.

Because I didn’t want to do the broadcast, I thought about going around to the bereaved families and apologizing directly, but that would be even more unreasonable.

There are hundreds, maybe thousands of people. How could I go around and apologize to all of them? Impossible.

So, in the end, it’s the broadcast.

“It’s time. Let’s go.”

Core Light is gone, but the alliance between us and the magical girls hasn’t been broken yet.

So, it’s not a problem for Aqua and me to go out together now.

Of course, there will be an announcement about breaking the alliance soon, but that’s for later.

The conference hall, rented out and filled with reporters, fell silent as Aqua and I appeared.

Aqua had warned several times that flash photography was absolutely prohibited during this press conference, and it seemed to have worked.

Not a single flash went off.

Maybe she’s better at this than Eve.

“Hello, I sincerely thank everyone for taking the time to be here. I am Aquamarine, the vice president of the Magical Girl Association. And here is the boss of the Mogmog Group, the Evil Magical Girl Mother.”

The cameras turned towards me again.

“That’s all for introductions, and now I’ll hand the microphone over to Mother.”

Aqua, with all traces of laughter gone, handed the microphone to me with a serious expression fitting the theme of this press conference.

I stood up and took the microphone.

“Hello, I am Mother, the Evil Magical Girl leading the Mogmog Group.”

It’s a bit of a stretch to call me a girl.

I’m not even a girl to begin with!

“Through the official notice, I have already explained the purpose of this press conference, but I, the Evil Magical Girl Mother…”

I cleared my throat lightly.

“Since the Mogmog Group first appeared, and up until the magical girls appeared and the Dark Realm barrier was developed, I deeply apologize for all the casualties and property damage caused by the Mogmog Group’s hostile actions towards humanity.”

I paused for a moment.

“As the leader of the Mogmog Group, I offer my deepest apologies to the bereaved families and the victims.”

I put the microphone down for a moment and bowed deeply.

The room, which had been dead silent, was now filled with the sound of camera shutters clicking.

“From now on, the Mogmog Group promises to actively cooperate with the use of the Dark Realm barrier in our hostilities with the magical girls.”

This statement could be interpreted differently.

“By any chance, does that mean the Mogmog Group is giving up on its goal of world conquest?”

Yes, this question had to come.

Since it came first, it made it easier for me to explain.

“That is not the case. If that were so, I would have announced the dissolution of the Mogmog Group here. That’s not it; we will proceed as before.”

In other words.

“Nothing will change. We will invade as usual, but we will notify in advance when and where we will attack. The magical girls will handle the response, and any damage caused by a delayed or failed response will be their responsibility.”

Both Eve and I know what this means.

Many humans will now realize that world conquest and such are just formalities.

But we decided not to care.

If we’ve placed these humans in a gambling den in the Divine Realm.

And if the gods are enjoying themselves by gossiping about what happens there.

We’ll play along.

I don’t know how far this stupid game will go, but since we’re already caught up in it, we’ll play along.

But don’t think you’re the only ones who will enjoy it.

It’s enough for me, Eve, the Mogmog Group, and the magical girls to have fun.

We’ll make it a game that humans can enjoy too.

That was what Eve and I thought.

“It was already kind of implicit, but now it’s almost an official sport.”

“It’s fine. It doesn’t matter.”

It’s not such a bad thing, is it?

In a bad way, it’s a spectacle; in a good way, it’s a sport. That’s what it is.

On the way home, in the taxi, Aqua seemed unusually happy.

“Why do you look so happy?”

“Me?”

“There’s no one else here but you.”

“Well, there’s nothing to feel bad about.”

That’s true.

“There’s nothing to feel bad about, but strictly speaking, I should feel good, right?”

“Why? I’m the one who did the press conference and worked hard, so why are you feeling good?”

This girl is funny.

“Just because.”

“Anyway, it’s become a sport. Will we start getting advertisements too?”

Huh?

Wait a minute.

I think I forgot something.

“Do you magical girls still get advertisements?”

“Yeah. I heard we got more advertisers. After today’s press conference, we might get even more.”

As Aqua said, since this has become like a real sport, it’s not strange to get advertisements.

Moreover, her words reminded me of something I had forgotten.

That advertisement from before, we still haven’t received our share of the advertising contract money!

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