“Of course, not everyone was thrilled with Sophia yapping like that.”
The officials and soldiers of Justitia were visibly displeased with Sophia’s antics, smearing her face left and right, and there were quite a few people not affiliated with Justitia who were itching to pick a fight with her.
‘Even though the lord and priests of Justitia are keeping quiet, there’s no way they’re comfortable in this situation. If I manage to take that woman down, our family might earn some favor with the lord of Justitia, right?’
‘I heard that a single shower of divine power from head to toe can wash away all kinds of ailments and even extend one’s lifespan. I’m not asking for much, just once!’
‘The scale is a bit awkward, but from Justitia’s standpoint, taking care of a troublesome opponent benefits them too, right? They’ll probably be considerate.’
‘Do they think we have no complaints about the law? We’re just putting up with it because it’s better than having nothing to complain about, so who does she think she is to blabber like that?’
Those wanting to suck up to the huge backing of the Holy Kingdom or simply disapproving of Sophia’s behavior had varying reasons, but they boldly challenged her.
If they had seen Sophia with Adelheid, they might have thought twice, knowing the Lion Duke’s bloodline would be backing her up, but recently Adel had been spending more time at the Maris Mansion preparing for operations, so it wasn’t known that the two were part of the same group.
“Hey, miss. Do you think it’s good to show off like that? If your behavior gets the lord angry and results in us suffering, how do you plan to take responsibility for all that chatter?”
“Thanks for that meaningful input! But standing here talking is a bit awkward, how about we drop by a café? A tavern would be fine too.”
“Huh? Um, uh, sure.”
“And don’t worry too much about what you just mentioned. If my actions were a big mistake, the Scale would have judged it, but here I am, alive and kicking. If the one causing trouble is standing here unharmed, it’s unlikely that the impartial Holy Kingdom would punish someone else, right? Or do you have a different opinion? Do you think the lord would issue an unfair punishment out of personal anger?”
“N-Nonsense! That can’t be true!”
“Right? I’m glad we share the same opinion.”
“But, um, just because they’re not punishing doesn’t mean it’s right for you to talk so freely, does it?”
“Have you ever had a teacher? Conversely, have you ever taught someone?”
“I’ve done both.”
“Let’s say your teacher posed a question to a student. There’s a hidden element to the question which could be discovered if the student paid attention in class, but what if the student completely misses it? How would you feel?”
“I wouldn’t feel good. If they missed something I deliberately hid, it means they didn’t pay proper attention in my class.”
“Right? So if the Great One above created a system with ‘gaps,’ would that be intentional or simply a mistake?”
“Well…”
“If we assume it was intentional, which is more ‘correct’ as a student: to pretend you don’t notice it or to point it out and investigate?”
“Umm…”
But they failed to achieve their desired goal.
Those who dared to speak against Sophia ended up being persuaded by her or found themselves discussing something entirely different as the original topic faded away.
Of course, there were those who outright abandoned the conversation and simply shouted that they were right.
“Shut up, you whore!”
Lastly, those who disagreed with the notion that the pen is mightier than the sword resorted to violence, regardless of what Sophia had to say.
[‘Tin Knight’ greets them with a hint of relief, wondering if they should have come sooner!]
Perggh! Crack! Ugh!
These individuals, who had been waiting impatiently for their opponent to make the first move, were utterly decimated by the hands of the Tin Knight.
“Aagh! Aaggh! Aaaaaaaagh!”
“Hold it right there!”
As if waiting for this moment, the guards restrained the Tin Knight, but soon, disappointment set in.
The opponent, having been battered by the Tin Knight, let out an ear-piercing scream as if they were suffering some horrific injury, yet reality showed their wounds were quite minimal.
The Tin Knight, wanting to enjoy the fight as long as possible, had strategically targeted spots that hurt like hell but were nearly harmless.
Of course, violence was still violence, and thus punishment was dealt, but since the opponent had initiated the first strike, the guards’ expectations of a severe verdict went unfulfilled.
The authority of the Scale was gradually eroded, and the guards’ prestige diminished as well.
Yet amidst all of this, the lord of Justitia maintained their silence.
***
“They’re probably unable to move even if they want to.”
Maris von Lenart stated confidently.
“Going out to the square and refuting every single word that woman says, presenting evidence and persuading the people, is already an action that denies the Scale’s authority. If they overwhelm their opponent in a debate, they would minimize damage, but the moment they hesitate or, heaven forbid, lose, that shattered authority would never be restored.”
There was undeniable admiration hidden in her voice.
“Impressive. Honestly, I feel a sense of defeat. If she weren’t an associate of Adelheid, I’d almost consider inviting her to our side.”
In response to Maris’ evaluation, the escorting knights spoke up slightly.
“She’s nothing but a lowly instigator.”
“You can’t compare a lady who has to act for her family’s interests with someone only aiming to create chaos. If it’s just about sounding convincing with words, anyone can do that.”
“Oh really? Then can you spout off about the family’s etiquette or training methods in front of Father’s office?”
The knights fell silent.
“Given Father’s personality, I doubt he would go into a rage over a few words. He’d probably just brush it off. So, can you do it? What do you think?”
“…Whether the Duke would be upset or not, it’s still disrespectful to even think of doing that.”
“Even if he stays quiet, the other elders of the family would likely be ready to tear our heads off.”
“Exactly, that’s the nature of authority. The mere thought of challenging it doesn’t even cross our minds, and even if the party whose authority is violated feels unconcerned, others will still pressure the challenger to crush them, as if they too might get dragged into the same crime.”
Maris pondered whether she would have been able to provoke the Holy Kingdom without the backing of the Lenart family.
The answer was a resounding ‘no.’
Because she acknowledged that, deep down, Maris found herself secretly praising Sophia.
“Well, we can’t afford to lose either. It’s become a convenient situation for us.”
With Sophia and the Tin Knight causing such a ruckus, the attention of all Justitia was drawn in that direction.
Even those who initially sought to pick a fight with the Lenart faction had their eyes turned elsewhere, making this an ideal moment to act.
“Are we ready?”
“All documents in the seal have been moved outside or destroyed, and everyone except those necessary for the operation has left the city.”
“Good job.”
─ Crimes within Justitia aren’t questioned from the outside.
Originally, it was meant to say that they’d deal with their criminals on their own, so outsiders shouldn’t interfere, but Maris didn’t mind much about that.
What mattered was that once they carried out their plan and stepped outside, they could not be pursued unless they switched their story themselves.
Maris donned the mask and put it on her face.
The magic of cognitive interference within the mask blurred her appearance like mist.
“What about the two in the main square?”
“They said this would be their last speech before leaving the city, so let’s start the operation in line with that.”
“This may be pushing it too far to align our schedule with theirs this late in the game.”
“But it feels wrong to ignore them too, right? If we finish our work and those two are still around, they’re sure to pounce. Besides, we’re only a day off from the original schedule, so it’s manageable.”
A little later.
“The two have exited the city.”
“Great, let’s get started. Signal the other team.”
***
On the outskirts of Justitia.
You were walking with Sophia.
[‘Tin Knight’ asks if you don’t mind that they ultimately couldn’t meet the lord!]
“Hmm, I’m a bit disappointed. Honestly, after all that commotion, I thought at least I’d get a glimpse of their face.”
[‘Tin Knight’ suggests it might be better to storm the Lord’s Mansion directly!]
“Even so, that might upset Lady Dorothea, don’t you think?”
By now, the joyful spectacle of the Lenart Mask was likely in full swing inside Justitia.
While you’d love to rampage alongside Adelheid, you resisted the urge, reminding yourself that sometimes it’s vital to collaborate with others.
You were a master who could suppress personal enjoyment for the growth of your disciple.
In just a few more minutes, Adelheid, after wrapping up the operation, would scatter out of the city with the other bloodlines, at which point you and Sophia would pick her up and head to where Dorothea was waiting.
Afterward, as previously agreed, you’d join forces with members of the Lenart family in another territory with strong influence from the Lion Duke’s bloodline, collect your rewards, and mark the mission as complete.
As you gazed toward Justitia, waiting for Adel to appear, something strange caught your eye.
Flashing, flickering. A turquoise aura began to shimmer in the skies above Justitia.
Initially, it looked like some sort of weather phenomenon, but soon it came down to earth, possessing clear magical power and form.
Growwwwwl!
Massive slabs made of emerald settled around the outskirts of Justitia.
The utterly unreal sight was like a painting, but you had no luxury to savor its beauty.
At precisely this moment, the appearance of such a thing could only mean one thing.
With a soft thud, Sophia stood beside you.
Her blood-red eyes were fixated on the city trapped within emerald.
For some reason, it felt like she was seeing the distant past overlaying this place.
“We need to hurry, Tin Knight. If we keep this up, Adel, no— everyone in the city is at risk.”
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
