Chapter 70

Failure should never have existed.

Especially if it’s a second chance after failure.

Looking at the Apocalypse, bleeding and cradled in my arms, the first thing I felt was hatred.

And what followed was nothing but joy.

I had never seen such a weakened monster before, so I thought it would be easy to kill.

‘…Haa.’

If only I had realized sooner that she wasn’t a monster, that’s why she could be so weak.

The coldness I felt at my fingertips and the faint sound of her breath fading into the air still lingers.

Hesitating because of her fragility, that hesitation not being enough to finish her, I found myself clinging to hope again.

…If only I had pierced her heart, I wouldn’t be suffering like this.

‘Sapphire.’

I remember.

The moment she softly called my name.

‘I thought… I was going to die…’

There was no emotion in her voice.

She was calm, even serene, as if she hadn’t been betrayed by someone she trusted.

As if she had never expected anything from the beginning.

That alone could have ended the reminiscence, but I kept retracing my memories.

‘Do I still look like Apocalypse to you?’

A simple question.

At the same time, it was a question that could have been the last chance.

What if I had answered no to that question?

If I had said you’re not Apocalypse, but Akari, would something have changed?

‘Well, it wasn’t a question I expected an answer to.’

“…Akari.”

Why couldn’t I trust Akari?

Even after being together. Even if it was just a few days, I should have known what kind of being she was.

A monster, but at the same time, a monster that wasn’t dangerous.

That was the conclusion I reached after spending a few days together.

After reaching that conclusion, why…

“Lost, Sapphire. Miserably.”

“…Yeah.”

My mind was a mess.

If it weren’t for Emerald, this world would have been on the path to destruction again.

Because of a foolish choice I made myself.

“Do you believe what she said?”

“…”

I kept my mouth shut at Ruby’s question.

It was no longer a matter of believing or not.

The gap between her and us had widened far more than at that moment in the past, so in the end, it would have to flow according to her will.

If Akari had wanted to, taking my life would have been nothing.

She had that much power.

“The opponent is that Apocalypse. If you believe what a monster says—”

The moment I realized that, all that came was deep self-loathing.

It was something that could have been resolved through conversation, but what on earth did I do?

Looking at what I did, it wasn’t much different from the actions of the monsters I so despised.

Trying to solve problems with violence instead of words, I could laugh at my own stupidity.

“Let’s stop now, Ruby.”

“…Sapphire.”

“Somehow, it seems we were wrong.”

I was tired.

Even as I got up and started to walk away, Ruby didn’t stop me.

‘Where should I go?’

Feeling lost, I turned my head to look at the sky.

The sky, which had regained its blue as Akari left, was now tinged with red.

Staying here and dwelling on regrets wouldn’t change anything.

The fact that I betrayed Akari would remain in my mind, in my heart.

My body felt heavy.

The hope that flared up at the thought of it being the perfect opportunity to kill Apocalypse had long since disappeared.

“…Haa.”

All that remained was cold ashes.

Staring blankly at the horizon stretching beyond, I slowly walked towards the beach.

The beach, without a single cloud, felt similar to when Akari activated the Despair Circuit.

Or maybe I just wanted to feel that scene.

‘Is it okay for a Magical Girl to be so carefree?’

‘It’s not being carefree. I’m observing you, aren’t I?’

‘That’s what I call being carefree. It would be more productive to think about how to get rid of it.’

The waves reaching my feet filled my mind with memories of the past week.

The conversations with Akari, the feelings I had while observing her.

“Phew…”

Had she given up from the beginning?

Maybe that’s why she said that to me.

Observing herself was meaningless. It would be better to think about how to get rid of it.

Thinking about it now, Akari wasn’t smiling when she said that.

She was as composed as someone who had accepted the future that would come someday.

Just like the last moment between her and me.

“…”

Walking along the beach for a while.

A reef suddenly jutted out from the sand that I thought would stretch on forever.

Seeing the reef alone near the beach, I suddenly remembered Akari sitting on it, splashing water.

Her carefree expression, innocently playing with her feet.

Swoooosh…

“…I’m sorry, Akari.”

Muttering an apology that wouldn’t reach, I sat on the reef.

The view of the beach from here was quite nice.

It felt like all the emotions in my heart were being washed away.

‘Playing friends with you was quite fun.’

Akari’s voice came again.

Did you really think of me as a friend?

And did I also think of you as a friend?

Slowly closing my eyes, I let myself be carried away by the sound of the waves.

Drowning in memories of a friend, never to wake up again.

***

The Magical Girls’ expedition ended successfully.

The disappearance of the black clouds filled with despair.

And the collapse of the monsters that lived within.

It was something worthy of praise, and people knew it, so they cheered and encouraged the returning Magical Girls.

The return of heroes.

An article with that title decorated the front page of the newspaper.

Although the expression of Sapphire, who was supposed to be the core, wasn’t very good, people just thought she was tired.

“Hello, Sapphire.”

“…Emerald.”

The two met awkwardly at the Association.

To be precise, only Sapphire was awkward.

Emerald had the same—no, even more lively face than before.

As if she had washed away all the previous events.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I wasn’t the one who was attacked in the first place.”

It would have been a lie if Apocalypse hadn’t attacked Sapphire, but compared to the attacks Ruby received, Sapphire’s attacks were like a drop in the bucket.

“What are you planning to do from now on?”

“…”

This was probably the real question.

Looking at Emerald, who swallowed nervously, Sapphire sighed inwardly.

It wasn’t strange to be wary.

I was the one who betrayed Akari, and I was the one who tried to kill her until the end.

“I… plan to return to the north. I’ll probably be doing Magical Girl activities there for a while.”

Their connection ended here.

Originally, it was a connection formed to defeat Apocalypse, and if the reason for being together disappeared, it was normal to scatter again.

“What about you?”

Sapphire didn’t think she had the right to ask such a thing, but the etiquette left in her made her reflexively ask.

A question that could be called a mistake.

Seeing Sapphire, who looked flustered as if she had made a mistake the moment the question left her mouth, Emerald smiled awkwardly.

“I think I’ll stay here. After all, places with many people get a lot of attention, and most importantly, if I go to the center, I’ll have less time to be with Akari.”

“…I see.”

“There are many capable Magical Girls in the center besides me.”

Seeing Emerald’s faint smile, Sapphire’s heart ached.

If I had made the right choice then, could I have smiled like that too?

But regret is always too late.

Sapphire nodded silently and slowly turned around.

She felt like she would continue to be a burden to both Akari and Emerald if she stayed here.

“Sapphire!”

“…”

After walking for a while.

Hearing the shout from behind, Sapphire turned her head.

Wondering if there was something more to say, Emerald opened her mouth.

“See you… next time.”

A word that could be seen as desperate.

Sapphire couldn’t refuse the hesitant word.

“…Yes. If there’s a chance, by all means.”

So she eventually nodded.

Leaving a piece of longing and memories here, to come back and retrieve them someday.