Chapter 8

The doctor’s claim to fix a rotten mind into a monster-like spirit was undeniably correct.

The scene unfolding before my eyes was quite horrifying for an ordinary person to behold.

“It didn’t make sense that the Monster Girl was lacking in despair. Hehe, with this, you won’t be able to defy me anymore!”

‘Indeed…’

The place the doctor brought me to was literally a place I could never resist.

A human—more precisely, a Magical Girl—contained in a large tank-like structure.

From the helmet-like device on the Magical Girl’s head, thick despair energy was being extracted and swirling out.

“Seeing this, aren’t you intrigued? Of course you are. For you—for a monster, a Magical Girl’s despair is the ultimate delicacy!”

The doctor, showing off his arm, suddenly looked cool.

Yeah, this is it. Whether human or monster, you can only do something after you’re full.

“You’ll understand why you should listen to me, Monster Girl.”

“Ohh…”

Inside the beaker he proudly held up, the sticky despair of the Magical Girl swirled and churned.

Freshly extracted despair.

I thought the despair I felt in the shelter was pretty good, but after seeing that, my thoughts completely changed.

‘Anyone can see that’s top-tier.’

To compare, it’s like the difference between a pebble on the road and a diamond.

I respectfully reached out both hands to the Despair Circuit, which was buzzing as if demanding despair.

“Please.”

“…Hmph, still quite arrogant.”

The doctor, who acted like he was going to hand me the beaker, suddenly raised his arm.

Surely he’s not going to throw that precious thing away?

But I had no humanity left in me.

It might not look good, but I was confident I could devour every last drop of despair scattered on the ground.

Even if I look human, I’m still a monster at heart.

Gulp— Gulp— Gulp—

“Huuuu… Good, so good.”

“…”

Just as I was preparing to lick up the despair scattered on the ground.

The doctor bent the arm he had raised high and brought the beaker’s mouth to his own.

And then he downed it in one shot.

Seeing that, I had no choice but to straighten my hunched back.

‘That, that precious thing went into the doctor’s mouth…!’

“Hehe, how is it? Want some? Then listen to me— Hmph? Still looking arrogant, Monster Girl.”

What if I am arrogant?

I felt pathetic for briefly seeing the doctor as cool.

A parent who steals their child’s baby food is not just a failure as a parent but the worst of the worst.

Thud— Thud—

“Wh-what are you doing?!”

“Kidnapping a Magical Girl and turning her into this must be quite a hassle, right?”

“Wh-what are you suddenly talking about…”

What am I talking about? This.

I lightly swung my hand and tapped the tank containing the Magical Girl, causing a thudding sound to echo.

How about it? Do you understand the situation now?

“If someone willingly hands over the Magical Girl’s despair, this tank might not get destroyed. What do you think, Doctor?”

“…”

Silence can mean both yes and no, but this time it felt different.

It felt like he was speechless because it was so absurd.

Yeah, now you realize how ridiculous what you did was, huh?

“Can you not understand human speech?”

Thud—

I punched again to make him snap out of it.

I confirmed that a light swing was something he could withstand, so surely this time he could withstand it too—

Crack—

“Huh.”

He couldn’t withstand it.

The tank, shattered like a laptop screen bitten by a cat, began to shake with an uneasy sound.

…I didn’t mean to break it.

S-sorry about that.

“Wh-what are you doing?!!?!!”

Crackle— Crash—!!!!

Ah, I don’t think I was the one who broke it just now.

If the doctor hadn’t screamed, it wouldn’t have shattered so spectacularly.

Definitely. Maybe. Perhaps.

Hmm.

“Th-this equipment, how could you…!”

Even though the doctor looked like a drowned rat, he didn’t stop despairing.

Hmm, the despair of a monster. It’s a bit different, but not bad.

Definitely not a flavor I’d eat often, though.

“Y-you’re responsible! Do you even know what you’ve done?!”

“What have I done?”

“Haha… Hahaha!”

When I tilted my head in genuine confusion, the doctor let out a hollow laugh and slapped his own forehead with a loud smack.

Did some brilliant idea come to him?

Well, as the monster’s top brain, the doctor could easily fix the Magical Girl despair extraction machine.

As expected of the doctor. The doctor is the best!

“Darn it… Test subject! Prepare for evacuation! Move quickly!”

Grrr!

At the doctor’s urgent shout, a monster from outside shuffled into the laboratory.

A gesture that clearly said, “I’m so annoyed I could die.”

But seeing how its body moved busily, it seemed like it was indeed an urgent situation.

Why are they like this, both of them.

“Damn it, they’re coming! I didn’t plan to deal with this now, tsk!”

“Who’s coming—”

Boom—!!!!!!!

With a tremendous noise, the laboratory began to shake.

The vibration was so intense it felt like an earthquake had struck, causing me to stagger for a moment.

“Emergency evacuation, test subject!”

Grrr!

The doctor slipped into the monster’s body as if boarding an escape spaceship.

And then he began to sink into the ground as if it were water, looking like he was diving into a shadow, which made me marvel.

What’s that, I want to do it too.

A monster swimming through the ground, I can’t resist—

Whoosh—

“…Huh.”

In an instant, the two presences disappeared, and I tilted my head in confusion.

What, why did they suddenly disappear?

Ah, no way?

‘Did they just leave me behind?’

I felt like I’d been hit on the back of the head.

So monsters are monsters after all. To betray someone who trusted them so easily.

Even if I caused trouble, if you’re going to run away, you should at least take me with you!

If not, at least tell me who you’re running from!

‘By the way, I’m still alive somehow.’

I stared intently at the Magical Girl who had flowed out when the doctor’s tank was destroyed.

The same clothes as me. And the despair oozing out.

It was a shame I couldn’t drink the despair essence the doctor had, but since I could still savor the aftertaste of despair, I wasn’t too dissatisfied.

“Hey. It seems like something big has happened, you can’t just lie here.”

I crouched down and poked the Magical Girl’s chest with my finger.

…Huh, it was really her chest.

I thought it was some special pouch the doctor had attached to extract despair energy more efficiently.

‘Compared to that, my body…’

Flat, flat!

But whatever, it doesn’t matter.

Originally, calling herself a Magical ‘Girl’ while having this was more strange.

Anyone can see she’s not a girl.

“…Ugh.”

“Oh.”

Was it because I kept poking her?

The Magical Girl began to tremble her eyelids and let out a moan, to which I let out a short exclamation.

I don’t know who you are, but I’m your life’s savior.

‘By the way, a Magical Girl saved by a monster…’

Even if it was by accident, if she found out, wouldn’t it be a lifelong shame?

Anyway, that’s not the important part.

“Ah…”

“Hello?”

The Magical Girl’s pupils, now fully open, reflected no light whatsoever.

A state where no hope existed—exactly what a monster would love.

It was like looking at the dried-up eyeballs of a fish.

“Ahhh, ahhhh…”

But the moment my reflection appeared in those eyes, vitality began to fill them.

The revival of a tree thought to be dead.

The despair that seemed impossible to wash away was instantly dyed with hope.

‘Was I waiting for nothing?’

The rainbow-colored eyes were pretty, but the level of hope rising was too much to marvel at them.

Ugh, if I had even a little food in my stomach, I would have thrown it all up.

Did the doctor drink the despair essence anticipating this situation?

Was he a genius after all, Doctor?

“Thank… Thank y—”

Kwaaaaang—!!

Oh, nice timing.

If I had received thanks from the Magical Girl, my whole body might have twisted in nerves, but thanks to whoever did that, I’m alive.

Amid the dust cloud obscuring my vision, there was a thick concentration of hope.

Even without looking, I could tell it was a Magical Girl.

“…You, by any chance.”

After the dust cloud cleared.

At the low voice that echoed, I quickly raised my head.

‘This voice, could it be—’

“Ah…”

Filling my vision was green hope energy and a familiar face.

First surprise, then joy, then doubt.

…Why is she here?

‘Emerald was definitely a Magical Girl who only operated in the central area.’

“…Apo, Calypso.”

Then, the word that came out of her mouth was enough to make my stopped heart beat again.

…How does she know me?

In short, something impossible had happened.