Chapter 93

If we’re talking about the latest trend, it’s definitely self-sufficiency.

Though it’s a bit late, I decided to hop on that trend too.

I realized that outsourcing despair is much better than running around eating up magical girls’ despair myself.

‘Well, magical girls rarely despair in the first place…’

I yawned and buried myself in the sofa.

If magical girls don’t despair, I just throw in some despair-inducing elements.

That’s when it hit me—why not create my own magical girls?

Magical girls—no, despair girls—who gather despair for me.

‘When humans’ despair passes through despair girls, it transforms into despair I can consume.’

Finding promising humans was quite a challenge.

They needed the qualities of a magical girl but also had to be filled with despair.

Honestly, isn’t that a bit much?

The fairies just turn anyone with magical girl potential into one, but here I am, carefully selecting and barely managing to create despair girls.

“…I miss the days when Emerald was by my side.”

Well, to be precise, it was when Tamako was around.

Anyway, after some trial and error, I’ve been steadily gathering despair lately.

It’s like a despair factory, you could say.

Since I handpicked the talent myself, the yield isn’t too bad.

“…I’m back.”

“Welcome back.”

I smiled faintly as Kuroko, a human—no, a despair girl—walked in weakly.

It was adorable how she felt despair every time she looked at my right eye.

Well, who told her to impulsively ask for an eye?

But it worked out well for me.

The despair of despair girls became my daily sustenance.

“It seems like you had quite the day at school today.”

“…”

“I understand. Those kinds of insults aren’t something you can just brush off.”

Provoking her was important, but so was comforting her.

If she completely lost her mind, it’d be troublesome.

Anyway, as Kuroko looked at me with half-dead eyes, I quietly opened the Despair Circuit.

No reason to just stare when delicious despair is right in front of me.

“So, have you found the magical girl you’re targeting?”

“…Not yet.”

It’s so admirable how she searches for her target magical girl every night.

I could’ve given her the answer, but at her age, finding the answer herself is what matters most.

Besides, she didn’t even ask me, so she probably doesn’t want my help.

“Akari.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“With this power, I can really get my revenge, right?”

I nodded lightly, confident I could make it happen.

Well, killing might be a bit much.

I don’t want to lose my despair supplier—I mean, despair girl—over something like that.

“You’re not the first, you know. It wouldn’t hurt to ask the others when you meet them.”

“You’ve been doing this to other people too?”

“Calling it ‘doing this’ makes it sound like I’m doing something bad.”

It wasn’t exactly pure goodwill, but helping with revenge isn’t entirely bad, right?

If you think about it, the fairies do something similar.

They go to humans harmed by monsters and offer them the power to kill monsters.

In fact, I’m much more lenient.

The monster girls I created have never killed a single magical girl.

“Anyway, to answer your question, yes. You’re the fourth.”

The first lost her only sibling to a monster fleeing from a magical girl.

She wanted something like her sibling’s long hair—so I gave her mine without hesitation.

The second was kidnapped by a monster-worshipping group and subjected to all sorts of horrors before losing her life.

Well, to be precise, she met me just before dying and was saved.

She wanted to survive and get revenge, so I gave her the time I had.

The third was an orphan who distrusted humans from birth.

For some reason, she wanted my clothes, so I gladly gave them to her.

They didn’t even fit me at that point.

“Fourth…”

“Why, do you want to meet them?”

It wasn’t a secret, so if she wanted to meet them, I could arrange it.

Though, judging by her expression, she didn’t seem too interested.

“No, it’s just… I’m surprised there are others like me.”

“Why? Did you think you were the most unfortunate person in the world?”

“…”

There are always humans who think they’re the most miserable.

But the world is vast, and there are many unfortunate people.

It’s a shame that out of all those people, you’re only the fourth.

‘The despair from someone who believes they’re the most miserable is the most delicious, you know.’

As I licked my lips internally, Kuroko pouted.

Was she relieved to know she might not be the most miserable?

No, no.

That smile clearly said, ‘No matter how miserable I am, there’s no one more miserable than me.’

See, as soon as she thought that, her despair surged, and she looked gloomy.

“But it’s okay. I can genuinely like even someone as miserable as you.”

“…Are you mocking me?”

“I’m serious. I prefer humans filled with despair over hopeful ones.”

Since she didn’t seem to believe me, I decided to show her through actions.

Come on, I like you even when you’re soaked in self-loathing and despair, with barely any self-esteem or pride left, right?

I pushed myself up with a bounce and landed my feet on the sofa.

Well, I thought I’d land.

“Ah, careful…”

“…Ugh.”

“How kind of you.”

It’s my first time walking around with one eye, so balancing is a bit tricky.

I smiled as Kuroko caught me when I almost tripped.

Even if her words are sharp, her actions are honest.

In a good way, it’s unconscious kindness; in a bad way, it’s the kind of quality that could’ve made her a magical girl.

“If you hadn’t fallen into despair, you might’ve become a magical girl.”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“Ouch.”

I feigned a bit of pain as Kuroko chopped my head.

The face of someone who genuinely despises magical girls.

She’d do just fine.

She hasn’t had a proper battle with a magical girl yet, but with that mindset, she could easily take down an average one.

“So, what am I supposed to do now?”

“Do whatever you want.”

“What’s your goal, anyway?”

“My goal is simply to watch over you.”

Well, it’s not just watching, is it?

It’s more like supervising a subcontractor to see if they’re doing their job well.

Of course, I won’t force you to do more.

“Don’t lie.”

Kuroko’s expression twisted at my words.

There’s no way you’d give me this power without expecting something in return.

You must have some ulterior motive.

I won’t trust you until I figure out what you’re hiding.

Her eyes were filled with that determination.

“It’s fine if you don’t trust me.”

Trust isn’t what’s important.

What matters is whether the person in front of me moves as I want them to.

And—

“You may doubt me, but you know it too.”

That there are beings in this world who show goodwill for no reason.

I didn’t name anyone, but she seemed to reflexively think of someone.

Though, not long after, her face turned sour.

“You’re not like them.”

“I know. I’m not even a ‘person’ to begin with.”

“What, are you a monster? Planning to eat me or something?”

“I won’t eat you. Humans don’t taste good, anyway.”

Of course, I could eat them if I wanted to.

Kuroko seemed to realize something from my completely serious tone and shut her mouth.

She must’ve thought that if she kept acting snippy, something bad might happen.

‘Not like I had any ill intentions…’

Still, there’s one silver lining in this situation: Kuroko doesn’t take her own life lightly.

Humans soaked in despair tend to see their lives as no more valuable than a fly’s.

It seems revenge has filled Kuroko’s empty self-esteem quite a bit.

“Don’t worry. I’m not a monster that eats just anything. And most importantly, we’re partners, right? Do I really look like a monster that would eat its own partner?”

“…”

No answer came.

I guess I do look like a heartless monster that would eat its partner.