While playing with the kids in the valley, it was around 2 PM, and I was starting to get hungry.
So I came out of the water, dried myself off, and checked the things I had set up in front of the tent.
“…Now that I’m about to start, I don’t know what to do first.”
“Why not just do everything at the same time?”
“What if we burn the meat?”
“I’ll keep an eye on it!”
“Alright, just make sure it doesn’t burn.”
“Got it!”
While the kids were playing, I used charcoal to grill pork belly, Kielbasa sausages, and other meats on the grill. Next to it, I heated oil and added a bunch of pre-prepared buffalo wings.
This much should be enough for camping food… but it might be too meaty for the girls. I mixed some store-bought sauce to make a decent dip, and since we have vegetables, I should make a salad too.
And with some bread, stir-fried pork, and skewers, it’ll really feel like camping. Good thing I prepared a lot.
Ah, let’s add some stir-fried noodles and kimbap too. I’ll make about four rolls while it cools.
“Ah~ I’m hungry~…”
“Seriously~…”
“Big sis~!”
Oh, perfect timing. They’ll probably finish drying off and changing clothes around the same time. Hair can dry after eating, so no problem.
“……”
“I hear all sorts of noises.”
“…Yeah.”
They’re messing around while changing clothes, those kids…
Ah, I should make some more kimbap while I’m at it.
“Wow~…”
“That looks delicious~…”
“Did you make all this, big sis?”
“Yeah. Especially since you eat a lot, I had to make this much.”
“Y-you didn’t have to say that…!”
The kids were surprised when they saw the food I prepared. It’s a natural reaction since there’s more food than they expected. Except for the grilling, it’s practically ready-made, but… no need to mention that.
“Wow~ this is so good~.”
“Big sis, you’re really good at cooking!”
“Yeah, enjoy.”
Now, should I start eating too? Let’s have some kimbap first… and a plate of stir-fried pork. I’ll also have some grilled pork belly and Kielbasa sausage… ah, I’m full. I’ll just have a bit of stir-fried noodles and some skewers.
Even for this body, I ate quite a lot.
“Phew~…”
“Big sis, are you done already?”
“Yeah… you eat a lot…”
“Okay~.”
Even if I can’t eat endlessly, isn’t there something that lets you eat a lot? It’s a bit unfair that I made all this but can’t eat much myself. Maybe I should ask the Fairy Queen next time I see her. She might not know, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
“…Hey, Chubby.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know any magic that quickly breaks down food or removes waste like urine or toxins?”
“The former doesn’t exist! But the latter… hmm… we mascots don’t need that, so I’m not sure, but the Fairy Queen might know. She never leaves her room, and there’s no bathroom in there…”
“…Confirmed.”
“Huh?”
“Tell her I’ll come by to ask about some magic next time.”
“Got it!”
Even if I can’t eat as much as I want, it seems there’s a way to stop physiological needs. Probably by removing waste or unnecessary byproducts, which would also clean food residue stuck to teeth and tongues. Since there’s no bathroom, it means she doesn’t even wash, so it must include all those functions. And yet, she doesn’t even have bad breath… yeah, confirmed.
…Anyway, the kids finished their meal happily and started drying their hair with a dryer powered by a portable battery. They’re also applying something to their hair, which looks annoying. My hair just stays in perfect condition once it’s dry.
“…Huh?”
I suddenly felt someone using their powers, but what? Even Chubby looks confused, so it’s not a Magical Girl or a monster.
“Uh, big sis… is this, perhaps…”
“…Yeah, they’re here too.”
Then there’s only one possibility. A superhuman criminal. With all the chaos happening worldwide because of them, it’s obvious.
“Everyone, hands up now! Anyone who disobeys will be killed!!”
As expected, a superhuman criminal… and it seems they’re not after anything specific, just a self-absorbed idiot.
“Uh, big sis… what should we do…?”
“……”
By the way, Pretty Heart’s expression… it looks like she’s afraid of being found out. She needs a bit of scolding.
“…You just stay there. If you’re too scared to help, don’t bother.”
“Ah…”
That aside, I don’t know why these guys showed up here, but it’s probably for some stupid reason. They’re not robbing banks or stores, just causing trouble here. No need to think too deeply. The world is full of idiots and simpletons beyond imagination. These guys are probably just trash enjoying the chaos, drunk on their newfound powers.
……Transformation.
“You there, what are you doing!! You’ll…?!”
In an instant, I accelerated, placed my right foot forward, and swung my light sword with my left hand, instantly decapitating him. A small fountain of blood spurted from the severed neck, and the head rolled to a stop against a tree root. The body collapsed backward, legs folding first, and the headless corpse lay in a messy heap.
“Still, two… left.”
There are still two superhumans accompanying him. I threw my light sword at the one hiding by the water, hitting him in the head and killing him instantly. The last one… Pretty Heart, who had transformed while I was dealing with the other two, shredded him with [Shining Rain]. Doesn’t seem like she needs scolding. She snapped out of it with just one word, so…
“Are you done over there?”
“…Yes. Uh, well…”
“No need to explain. If you’ve come to your senses, that’s enough.”
“Ah, yes…!”
By the way, Pretty Heart seems to have a misconception. When something like this happens, everyone panics and focuses only on the situation. So even if you transform, almost no one will actually see it. And if someone does see it, they’ll just be labeled as crazy if they talk about it. So, when everyone’s attention is focused, you can transform on the spot without worry. Just make sure to check where people are looking first.
“And don’t worry about being found out. You weren’t.”
“But… my friends…”
“Your friends? …Look over there.”
“Huh?”
You’re worried your friends found out, but they’ve known for a while… I don’t know how they found out, but it seems they’ve been pretending not to know for a while. They’re being considerate as friends.
“You’ve been found out for a long time. Plus, you slipped up once and called me ‘senior,’ so I got identified as a Magical Girl too.”
“Ah…”
“Sorry, Nari~ I’ve known since last year~.”
“Me too~. Actually, I saw you when we went to the bathroom together once…!”
“Ah, ah…”
Pretty Heart hung her head low at her friends’ confessions. She worked hard to hide her identity as a Magical Girl, but since she’s been found out for a while… the disappointment must be indescribable.
“But, big sis, how did you know~?”
“That? I overheard you guys whispering in the car.”
“What~?!”
“No way~!”
“Even without using magic, I can hear even the smallest sounds.”
Since becoming a Magical Girl, my senses, including hearing, have been enhanced to their maximum. So I can hear even the faintest sounds.
“But, big sis…”
“What?”
“Did you really have to kill them…?”
I thought she was going to say something else, but she’s asking another silly question. Well, she’s only in middle school… she might still be confused about these things. Hmm… I should make this clear now to avoid problems later.
“…Alright, let’s all have some ice cream for dessert first.”
“Yay~.”
“Awesome~.”
“Uh, big sis…?”
It’s not a heavy topic, so it’s better to talk while eating. Plus, Jinju and Naru, was it? They’re getting overshadowed by the Magical Girl talk…
“…Pretty Heart.”
“Yes!”
“The reason you became a Magical Girl is to protect humanity, right?”
“Yes…”
“Then, who are the people you need to protect?”
“……”
“…And conversely, who are the people you don’t need to protect?”
“……”
Can’t answer, huh? She probably wants to protect everyone. But there are trash who don’t deserve protection. Pretty Heart comes from a good place, so she hasn’t seen such trash, which is why she’s being soft.
“Listen well, Pretty Heart. Criminals who harm other humans are not part of the humanity you need to protect. Especially those who commit crimes after gaining superhuman powers—they’re disasters. They’re killing the very humanity you’re supposed to protect. What more is there to say?”
“……”
“Of course, regular criminals are still human, so they can be arrested and judged by the law. They’re easy to subdue. But… superhuman criminals? That’s impossible. Human strength can’t subdue them. So what should you do?”
“But… can’t they be rehabilitated…?”
“Rehabilitated? Do you really think those who commit crimes after gaining powers can be rehabilitated? Nature is a personality imprinted in genes. You can’t change that. Especially when they’ve gained powers and are killing people, living as they please… do you really believe they’ll abandon their nature and live kindly?”
“…No.”
“They suppress their nature because they’re no different from the humans around them. But when they gain powers? Even national authorities can’t suppress them without mobilizing the military. So the reason to suppress their nature disappears. That’s why superhuman criminals, no different from monsters, must be killed to truly protect the humanity you want to protect. Got it?”
“…Yes.”
Still believing in redemption… that’s nonsense. Superhuman criminals are no different from monsters. Harmful cancers like them need to be eradicated. Respecting cancer cells just because they’re cells is something even idiots wouldn’t do.
“Good, as long as you understand. It’s better to firm up your resolve now than regret it later.”
“Yes…”
“Cheer up~”
“That’s right~.”
“Don’t touch me~!”
Looks like I’ll have one more thing to consult the Fairy Queen about. If killing is hard, then maybe there’s a way to remove their powers… I’d like to give that to Pretty Heart first. A middle schooler shouldn’t have to taste the ugliness of reality yet.
…Though it seems she’s already had a taste.
“Well, I’ll look for other methods too, so don’t get too down.”
“Other methods…?”
“In short, you have a problem with killing people, right? You’ve already experienced it, but you can’t keep doing that.”
“…!”
“So don’t think weird thoughts. It’s because you have that kind of heart that you could become the Magical Girl ‘Pretty Heart,’ right?”
“Heh, hehe…”
“Ooh~ big sis, you’re so sweet~.”
“Totally sweet~.”
Sweet, my foot, these kids…
…I’ll just have another ice cream.