The magical girl had become a ranker…
By the morning after helping Jeanne, my body had returned to normal, and the demon confirmed there were no issues.
For about two weeks afterward, the witches remained quiet, and we continued to defeat monsters day after day.
We received word that the meeting Arongante mentioned would take place three weeks after the Australia incident.
Though it felt like a delayed response, it wouldn’t change anything at this point, so it was probably best not to worry about it.
Occasionally Hermes would approach me and update me on Sora’s condition, but it seemed Sora was being overworked by Hermes.
I had sealed her away without question, so it couldn’t be helped.
All I could do now was let Sora gain weight quickly so she could become my trump card.
With her around, the concerns regarding durability could somehow be managed.
It would take some time to use her, but in return, she would be powerful.
Most appreciated was the significant improvement in the duration limit during release.
However, just as we were preparing ourselves, the witches were likely up to something too.
So far, we’d defeated two of them, but more remained.
Orneas was difficult to defeat due to her characteristics, but unlocking Arcana in her second form allowed us to acquire the ability needed to defeat her.
The problem was that using her second form already strained her body, and adding further strain meant her body was utterly exhausted.
Since it originated from my hatred, it boasted unmatched strength against magical girls, but because there was no limiter, my body kept breaking down.
In theory, if there was enough magical power, output could increase accordingly, but the body receiving that output inevitably had its limits.
A car gains energy by burning gasoline, but if all the gasoline were burned at once, the car would explode.
It was similar to that.
Moderation was key in everything.
While Shengxi’s case was partly due to my own whims, I fought without unlocking her powers.
The issue was the possibility that even with an unlock, I might have still lost.
Magic used after being drugged didn’t mix well with Arcana.
While a magical girl like Blue Colette might have been manageable, at the ranker level, the odds weren’t favorable.
Ultimately, it ended in mutual destruction, but frankly, the result didn’t matter much to me.
Of course, winning would have been preferable, but what I sought was the process—the essence of the battle.
As long as I could fight back, I was fine, though I’d prefer not to be completely overwhelmed by sheer force.
Then one day, Hermes reported that Sora had almost fully recovered.
We received a request from Arongante regarding the doomsday cult.
When I woke up and looked outside, the snow around my house had melted.
This meant Thalagong had returned, which was rare.
We hadn’t seen each other since sharing dinner once recently.
Thalagong knew I had been helping Jeanne, but there was no preaching or scolding.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning. Would you like breakfast?”
“Yes.”
One advantage of Thalagong being around was that she cooked for us.
The downside was needing extra caution when changing clothes or taking baths.
Still, living as a girl or cohabiting with a woman became something you got used to.
My thoughts hadn’t changed much since the days of Shiro, but my preferences were gradually shifting.
The only relief was that I didn’t need to consider what life would be like as an adult.
After all, losing meant it would be the end, and even winning wouldn’t lead to peace unless someone replaced me or I defeated the root cause—a witch.
When that moment would come was anyone’s guess.
And with Sora around, physical growth could be halted, so I wouldn’t grow into an inconvenient stage as a woman.
“Is there anything planned for today?”
“I’ve been called by Arongante, so I’ll head out afterward. What about you, Sister?”
“I continue the unchanging days of extermination. It’d be better if they attacked first… I wish they’d show their tails soon.”
We’re having demons scout for us, but catching any reaction from them is tough.
Recently, there haven’t been any incidents involving high-ranking victims linked to the doomsday cult, but things likely won’t go as smoothly as with Nightmare.
If I joined the fight, the demons would find it hard to allocate resources to counter me.
Against minor threats, sure, but within barriers, there’s nothing to be done.
Although I rarely fight inside barriers as a stray, I occasionally did so when asked by Arongante.
Primarily for rescue missions, but battling low-level enemies was somewhat enjoyable, so I happily accepted.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“My pleasure. Would you like a drink?”
“Sure.”
Hmm. Though necessary, being taken care of like this feels slightly embarrassing.
I’d rather be the one doing the caring, but whenever I try, I’m stopped and can’t do anything.
Though my body hasn’t grown much, perhaps if my height increased, this environment might improve slightly?
After finishing breakfast while chatting with Thalagong, I took a quick bath and teleported to Arongante’s base.
Considering the reception fairies, I appeared in front of Arongante’s office, so I wouldn’t get scolded.
After pressing the intercom and receiving permission, I entered.
It was slightly cool, but I decided to overlook that for now.
“I’ve been waiting for you. Please sit and wait; I’ll wrap up quickly.”
“Understood.”
As usual, fatigue showed on Arongante’s face.
I could only pray she doesn’t collapse.
After a few minutes, Arongante put down the pen and drained the nutritional drink on her desk.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. As per the email I sent earlier, I have a favor to ask of Inie.”
Arongante operated the remote control, projecting various images onto the wall.
“While this is information I’ve personally gathered, these are the countries and magical girls most likely to be targeted next. If the attacks remain random, there’s nothing we can do, but it seems the doomsday cult targets countries with specialized or weak magical girls and higher numbers of them.”
(What do you think?)
“It’s hard to say. The witches’ plans have always been scattered, and often, preparing in advance led to more safety than guessing.”
Predictions can be helpful, but the damage from incorrect ones could be significant.
Thus, responding afterward might better control the final damage.
That’s probably why you called me here.
Since I can teleport, I can escape whatever happens.
Breaking barriers is possible unless the witches go all out.
There shouldn’t be any issues with me acting according to Arongante’s intentions.
“I’ve subtly informed cooperating magical girls, but I’d like Inie to go to England. This is a personal request…”
Arongante hesitated before handing me a paper document.
What is it?
(Hmm… more gray than black?)
“Even though Arongante holds power, it’s not perfect yet…”
Following Australia, corruption within the upper echelons of the Magic Bureau came to light, creating a large rift between the bureau and the magical girls.
Especially in England, where corruption in the Magic Bureau was severe, many magical girls were involved.
Thus, active magical girls generally lacked trust in the Magic Bureau.
There are people aligned with Arongante, but the situation remains dire, and if not addressed soon, they could become easy targets.
Additionally, the fifth-ranked magical girl here specializes in plant magic like Fleurs and contributes globally.
Furthermore, as England is an island nation, there’s a risk of another Australia-like situation.
This must be a headache for Arongante.
“That seems pretty rough.”
“Yes. Ideally, I’d like Inie to focus on activities there for about a week. We’ll arrange accommodations, but could you help us with that?”
Why is food not included?
(What should we do?)
“Maybe accepting isn’t such a bad idea. I’ve been trying, but I can’t locate the witches, and it might be interesting to follow Arongante’s plan.”
Personally, I don’t want to divert my thoughts from battles, but solely focusing on fighting and becoming muscle-brained presents its own dilemmas.
Occasionally engaging in mentally exhausting work might be refreshing…
But asking a young girl to handle such complicated tasks—what do you think about that?
I am officially 11 years old, after all.
“Of course, we won’t send Inie alone, so please rest assured. We’ve prepared reliable support.”
“Is that…?”
Pointing to the block of ice sitting in the corner of the room.
I noticed it upon entering but ignored it since it was an object.
Well, technically it’s a person, but I wasn’t sure how to react.
Freiren Schraff, the second-ranked magical girl.
Ranked second only to Kaede, she’s known as one of the strongest magical girls, but since she sleeps a lot, fewer people know about her activities.
Rather, her infamy overshadows her reputation.
I saw her sleeping in the library building during my academy days, but seeing her asleep in a block of ice now is mysterious.
Her nickname is Sleeping Beauty, and literally, she sleeps a lot.
“Yes. She may be in this state except during missions, but she consistently delivers results. Also, she can hear conversations even in this state, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”
Arongante stood up and tapped the ice block.
The ice began melting from the top, revealing Freiren Schraff.
Her gradient hair was striking.
The roots were a light blue, darkening toward the tips.
She was slightly taller than Arongante, but how old was she?
Freiren slowly opened her eyes and then closed them again.
“Don’t sleep.”
Arongante tapped her head, and she rubbed it unhappily before sitting on the couch.
“This is our first conversation. You can call me Ren if you prefer, given the length of my name.”
Indeed, it’s long, so abbreviating it would be helpful.
Calling her by her full name every time would make me stumble.
“Understood. So, what will the assistance entail?”
“Inie will primarily handle exterminations, while Ren will manage administrative and behind-the-scenes work.”
It’s nice that I don’t have to do everything, but is it okay to leave it to the second-ranked magical girl?
I don’t know much, but if she’s the second strongest after Kaede, shouldn’t such tasks be left to other magical girls?
“Normally, we’d have a more suitable magical girl, but considering the possibility of the doomsday cult appearing and restraining the English Magic Bureau and magical girls, we struggled to find appropriate personnel…”
“Stop making it sound like I’m useless.”
Shortage of personnel, huh?
This can’t be helped, but working with the second-ranked person on a mission… Will it be alright?
“If only she didn’t sleep so much, my job would be easier… You may have various questions, but Inie will lead, and Ren will assist.”
From Arongante’s tone, Ren probably has some issues.
Ordinarily, Ren should be leading, not me.
“Let me clarify: Ren has various strengths but also numerous problems. Successfully guiding her and steering the English Magic Bureau in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.”
The conversation proceeded as if I’d already accepted, but if I refused, would Ren go alone?
I’m not considering “might,” but it sounds kind of interesting.
“By the way, what exactly should Ren do?”
“If the Magic Bureau or magical girls say anything, use Ren as a shield. Use the same approach to convince them to accept our opinions.”
You’ve got a scary backup, so listen obediently, huh?
Whether that works depends on how cooperative they are…
“Could you kindly accept this request with our full support?”
If successful, this could pave the way for future opportunities, though it will be tiring.
Acceptance is inevitable, but there’s one thing I need to decide beforehand.
“I don’t mind accepting, but what about the reward?”
“We can provide anything within our means. Is there anything you desire?”
Arongante gave me the answer I wanted.
During recent conversations with demons, I encountered a problem.
This would be the perfect opportunity to resolve it.
“Then, may I request one thing?”
“Please.”
“Could you ensure I don’t become a ranker?”
