Chapter 62

“It was a pleasant conversation, Emerald.”

“I enjoyed it too, Sapphire.”

The conversation with Sapphire was quite enjoyable.

Perhaps because we were talking about the same topic, it felt even more so.

[She’s more innocent than I thought…]

“Well, it’s Sapphire.”

[Is this another person I don’t know but Emerald does?]

“…Well, yeah?”

There was a limit to brushing it off by saying she was someone I knew before becoming a Magical Girl.

May seemed to notice something was off, but perhaps out of consideration for me, she didn’t voice her suspicions.

Sorry, May. I’ll explain everything someday.

‘There are still too many uncertainties…’

For example, Ruby.

To be precise, it’s more accurate to say Ruby’s situation was like that.

‘She definitely didn’t have memories from the previous world when we first met…’

But at some point, Ruby regained her memories from the previous world and began expressing hatred toward Apocalypse.

I don’t know where she is right now, but Ruby would surely be looking for an opportunity to harm Akari.

In Ruby’s memories, it wasn’t Akari but Apocalypse.

[Emerald, you’re not overdoing it lately, are you?]

“I’m fine. I’m much better than before, right? It’s just that I’m worried about Akari.”

What if Sapphire also regains her memories?

What if Sapphire and Ruby team up to attack Akari?

Even though it was just a brief thought, my head started to ache.

What on earth should I do?

“May, can I ask you something?”

[Of course. If it’s a question from Emerald, I’ll answer anything.]

“Anything?”

[Well, as long as I know…]

“Pfft, that’s enough.”

I laughed at May’s hesitant response.

I can’t say it outright, but I’m sure you’ll understand.

“There’s someone who becomes a very bad being in the future, and I’ve met them now.”

[…]

“But now, they don’t seem like a bad person at all. So what should I do? Should I stop them now because they’ll become bad in the future? Or should I wait and see since they’re not bad now?”

Honestly, I thought the future had changed the moment I saved Akari from the laboratory.

No, I wanted to think that.

It was too cruel to think that someone who’s doing so well now would become Apocalypse later.

‘Even when a halo appeared above her head, she was the same as usual…’

If she had shown signs of losing her sanity, I would have been much more anxious.

But Akari seemed fine even with the halo above her head.

She was completely different from the emotionless Apocalypse in my memories.

[If it were me, I’d probably wait and see. No, I’d try to make sure they don’t become a bad being.]

“…I see.”

[I believe there’s no such thing as a person who’s bad from the start. It’s the environment and people around them that make them that way.]

“…”

May was right.

Apocalypse was in the Doctor’s laboratory right before she appeared.

But Akari was different.

She was rescued from the laboratory before Apocalypse appeared and has been doing well since.

“Thanks for the advice, May. I think I’ve made up my mind now.”

[I’m glad I could help, Emerald.]

I gently patted May’s head and smiled.

The anxiety in my heart disappeared, replaced by hope.

Yes, I’ll bring Akari back first.

Then I’ll talk to Ruby and clear up the misunderstanding.

The Akari now is not the Apocalypse you know.

‘Don’t give up so easily, Emerald.’

After all, Emerald is an unyielding Magical Girl.

No matter what happens, absolutely.

***

After parting with Emerald.

I was on my way back to my lodges through a less crowded area since I don’t like crowded places.

[Is that Emerald person really okay?]

“…I think she’s fine.”

[Something’s fishy. Not only does she view monsters positively, but she also recognized you in your untransformed state…]

I sighed inwardly at my partner Lumina’s voice filled with concern.

Lumina is too suspicious for her own good.

Sometimes it’s okay to take things at face value.

Of course, I somewhat agree that Emerald is suspicious…

‘Right? Akari is like that, right? Really, if only her appearance were that of a cat, I would have hugged her without hesitation…’

But someone who smiles so purely couldn’t be evil.

If that smile were fake, it would be more polite to be deceived.

“Setting aside the suspicion, how would you evaluate Emerald?”

[Well, apart from that, she seems impressive. Magical Girls are usually only good at beating up monsters.]

“That sounds sarcastic.”

[It is sarcastic. How can they use such a powerful resource as Hope Energy only for beating up monsters, tsk tsk…]

I smiled slightly at Lumina’s grumbling.

She’s a partner who complains about everything, but she always gives me what I want.

This time, if I really want it, she’ll let it slide.

“Then it seems we’ve decided what to do next.”

[For example?]

“For example—”

Like figuring out the identity of the person following us?

I turned my head slightly at the presence I felt behind me.

The fact that they revealed themselves as soon as we entered a less crowded area suggests it’s not a standard tail.

Then they must have a specific purpose for following us…

“Long time no see, Sapphire.”

“…”

[Do you know her?]

“It’s the first time I’ve seen her…”

I blinked at the person who appeared as soon as I turned my head.

A completely unfamiliar face.

I tried to recall if I had forgotten, but there was no way a face that wasn’t in my memory would come to mind.

“That’s right. We ‘haven’t’ met yet.”

“‘Haven’t’ yet?”

The content of her words was strange.

If we haven’t met yet, does that mean we will meet in the future?

Maybe she’s a bit mentally unstable.

“I’m not very good at talking, so I’m not confident I can persuade you properly.”

“…”

“Your partner’s name is Lumina, right?”

“…”

I frowned at the person who casually mentioned Lumina’s name.

How did she know? Magical Girls rarely talk about their partners among themselves.

Magical Girls’ partners can choose not to be seen by other Magical Girls if they wish.

Lumina has never shown herself to other Magical Girls, so knowing her name is really strange.

[Darn it, is she an informant sent by the Queen? Trying to dig into my background? Damn it, I knew something was fishy from the start!!]

“…”

Shocked that her name came from a stranger’s mouth, Lumina started shouting.

Most of it was complaints or conspiracy theories about the Queen.

“I’m Ruby.”

“I’ve never heard that name.”

“Well, that’s possible.”

“…If you thought knowing my partner’s name would earn my trust—”

“There was that monster in the black cloud, right? The one that could talk.”

“…”

Another person who knows Akari?

A sense of incongruity.

The incongruity I felt from the person who introduced herself as Ruby.

And the incongruity I felt from Emerald, who recognized me in my untransformed state.

Those two incongruities were surprisingly similar.

“Do you know Emerald?”

“Know her… I guess you could say that. We were comrades who fought together, risking our lives.”

“…Comrades.”

“You were too, Sapphire.”

It was something I had no memory of.

After all, my meeting with this person and Emerald in this city was the first time.

But if, by any chance, what she’s saying is true.

“Then who exactly were we fighting?”

“…Pfft.”

Ruby burst out laughing at my question.

Not a mocking laugh, but a purely surprised one.

“Sorry, I never imagined I’d hear that from you.”

“Answer my question first.”

“You already know.”

Her short answer made it clear who Ruby was talking about.

Because the being her red eyes were looking at was also clear to me.

The black cloud, the monster inside.

The monster that could talk, had a human form, and acted like a human—

“…Akari.”

—A monster named Akari.