Chapter 85

[Despair energy detected on the 3rd floor!]

“Got it!!”

Frowning as I pushed through the thick smoke.

A disaster caused not by monsters, but by people.

I gritted my teeth, recalling the news of a violent group occupying a supermarket and setting it on fire.

Rumble—

“Ugh?!”

[Emerald!!]

“I’m fine, ah!”

I brushed off the debris falling from above and stood up.

If it were a despair-filled attack, I could have dodged it easily, but sudden situations like this were harder to handle.

My vision was almost completely obscured by flames and smoke.

The only landmark left was the despair emanating from inside the building.

‘Just a little further, just a little more—’

“Ugh…”

Found it.

Hearing a faint groan, I quickly opened the door.

The scorching hot handle began to burn my skin, but it wasn’t unbearable.

I’ve felt this kind of pain countless times.

The only thing that mattered now was saving lives.

“Sa… save me…”

“Don’t worry, I’m here now.”

I smiled as I grabbed the hand reaching out to me.

A Magical Girl is, above all, a being who gives hope to people.

Smiling in a situation like this was also part of a Magical Girl’s job.

[This seems to be the last one, Emerald! Just get out of here now!]

“Got it, ah!”

I wanted to fly out, but a normal human body wasn’t as resilient as a Magical Girl’s.

Really, how do firefighters even think of running into flames like this?

Thinking about how amazing people are, I hurriedly moved my feet.

“Phew…”

“Move the survivor, quickly!”

As soon as I got outside, I handed the survivor over to the paramedics.

Now that it was over, I felt all the strength draining from my body, but I couldn’t show such a pitiful sight, so I forced myself to stand firm.

…I want to go home.

Looking up at the smoke-filled sky blocking the moonlight, I slowly exhaled.

[Emerald… are you okay? Are you hurt?]

“…Yeah, I’m fine. This much is nothing, May.”

Aside from being scorched and hit by debris, there weren’t any major injuries.

With my healing abilities, unless it’s a serious wound, it’s not really fatal.

If we’re talking fatal wounds, I’ve experienced more of those fighting monsters, yeah.

“Thank you, Emerald. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been able to save so many people.”

“…Thank you.”

I forced a smile at the paramedic who spoke brightly.

I vowed to save everyone, but in the end, I could only save those I could.

Even though I told myself it was unavoidable, the fact that I couldn’t save everyone left a deep ache in my heart.

Am I… doing well?

“Why are you looking so down, Emerald.”

“…Garnet.”

“Seriously, I’m exhausted. I’m so tired…”

Garnet’s body was red and swollen in various places.

Feeling sorry for her, I reached out, but Garnet flinched slightly.

She’s acting like it’s nothing, but she must be in pain.

My hand hovered awkwardly in the air before I quickly withdrew it.

“If you did your best, don’t regret it.”

“…But maybe I could have saved more.”

I spoke while looking at the burning building. It was a sigh-like sentence.

Garnet’s eyes, looking at me, were filled with various emotions.

Sympathy, pity, understanding, and admiration.

The admiration of someone who can no longer do what I do, looking at an unattainable ideal.

“It’s not your fault. If anyone’s at fault, it’s the ones who set the fire.”

“…”

“You don’t have to shoulder all the responsibility alone. Look at Akari. She just lives however she wants.”

Garnet’s hand tapped my arm.

A rough but comforting touch.

She must have felt awkward too, as she soon withdrew her hand, but it was enough to comfort me.

Sincerity always gets through.

“Garnet, if you’re hurt, you should get treated too.”

“Ah, it’s fine. It’s not like I’m hurt enough to die.”

Garnet waved her arm dismissively at my concerned words.

As if to say this much is nothing.

But since when did these wounds become nothing?

Is a world where no one suffers or gets hurt really impossible?

“Then go ahead. I’ll stay here today.”

“…Alright. But don’t push yourself too hard. I doubt Akari would worry— well, anyway.”

I’ll go first.

Garnet turned without hesitation and walked unsteadily toward home.

I’d rather Akari not worry.

Akari didn’t like Magical Girls much, but she had a lot of trust in them.

If Akari were to worry about me, it would mean I’m lacking.

“Hang in there, Emerald.”

Compared to the previous world, this is nothing.

The future has already changed, right?

So if I just keep going, surely—

Stagger—

“Ah…”

[Emerald!!!]

My body tilted, and my vision spun.

I can’t collapse here…

Darkness.

**

“It’s exhaustion.”

“Exhaustion?”

“Yes, combined with sleep deprivation and hormonal imbalance…”

Listening to the doctor, I shook my head inwardly.

Exhaustion? A Magical Girl exhausted!

If other monsters heard this— no, even I couldn’t help but laugh reflexively.

“You should rest for a while.”

“Yeah, sure.”

After roughly hearing about Emerald’s condition, I left the room.

Now, where should I go to find Emerald’s room?

Even though it was night, the hospital was bustling.

From groans to cries and screams.

Savoring the despair emanating from humans, I slowly walked.

“Where. Should. I. Go—”

Ah, here.

Despair different from ordinary humans.

Feeling the deep blackness that I could easily fall into, I slowly opened my mouth.

‘Looks delicious.’

I stuck out my tongue and licked my lips.

I wanted to jump in and devour Emerald’s despair right away, but these things shouldn’t be rushed.

It’s been a while since I last tasted Emerald’s despair.

She’s been coming home less often, and even when she does, it’s late, and she doesn’t dream, so despair doesn’t flow out.

But now I can feel despair…

[You’re here, Akari.]

“I didn’t come to see you, so move aside.”

[You’re so harsh only to me!]

Looking at her like she was a bug, May shouted as if it was too much.

Of course, I’d treat her poorly.

How could I attach any feelings to some mysterious being made of hope energy?

I reflexively brushed off the hope energy.

“You feel the same way when you see me, don’t you? Or not?”

[Well, that’s true…]

Just like ice and fire can’t mix, hope and despair can’t mix either.

When one grows, the other shrinks.

Since it’s a relationship of devouring and being devoured, this level of treatment is just right.

“Hmph, hmph, hmph~♪”

[…You seem in a good mood.]

“Of course. It’s rare to get a chance to eat Emerald’s despair.”

Now that there was no need to hide it, I spoke confidently.

May made a face like ‘Is this really okay…’ but—

—What can you do about it?

You just stand there and watch me deliciously devour Emerald’s despair!

“Sssss… Hssss… Sweet scent…”

[Sorry, but can you stop doing that? It’s creeping me out.]

“Be quiet. Unless you want a despair shower.”

[…]

May shut her mouth at my not-quite-a-threat threat.

Hmph, should’ve done that earlier.

A monster wants to eat some despair, and you keep yapping yapping yapping…

Anyway.

Now that I’ve silenced the bug beside me, I slightly opened my mouth to eat Emerald’s despair.

‘Ah, almost… drooled.’

“Sip…”

After savoring the taste for a moment, I opened my mouth again.

Let’s eat.

Taking a bite of Emerald’s despair, a deeper flavor than Tamako’s despair filled my despair circuit.

It tastes much better than last time, or is it just my mood?

“This is why I’m by your side, right?”

Emerald’s despair never got old.

Lately, with more headaches caused by humans than monsters, it tasted especially good.

Well, monsters can just be eliminated, but humans can’t be dealt with so easily.

We monsters don’t hesitate to eliminate each other if we get in the way.

‘Living life so annoyingly… well, it’s better for me since more despair comes out.’

In that sense, humans, could you cause more trouble so Emerald suffers even more?

Sitting here, I thought about pulling out Emerald’s despair, but seeing how the human world has been lately, it’s only going to get worse.

Hmm, good. In that sense, I’ll give a word of encouragement.

“Hang in there, Emerald.”

You’re going to suffer a lot from now on.