Chapter 13: Things you do willingly

Today was the weekend.

It was hard to imagine Yukina dressed like this for a student council event.

Yukina rarely made a special effort to dress up.

If there was something important enough to make her pay this much attention, Ephnel really couldn’t guess what it might be for a moment.

Could it be… she’s meeting someone?

A boyfriend?

Even though she was reluctant, Ephnel couldn’t help but start thinking in that direction, and then she felt an indescribable sense of loss—as if a carefully hidden pearl had suddenly been snatched away by someone.

The thought that her sister had already given her heart to someone without her knowledge made Ephnel feel all sorts of wrong.

She didn’t know why she felt so down about it.

Isn’t it perfectly normal for a girl of this age to have such youthful stirrings?

Especially Yukina; being so outstanding, she would surely attract a lot of attention.

The person she fancied must also be very exceptional, someone who could bring her happiness.

Someone her incompetent “older brother” couldn’t compare to at all.

Ephnel let out a soft sigh.

She splashed cold water on her face, opened her eyes, and stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror.

If she wanted to, she could contact the “Order” and have people watch Yukina around the clock, ensuring that her every move was reported back to her at all times.

But…

For “siblings,” wouldn’t such an act undoubtedly be crossing a line?

It would undoubtedly be repulsive and disgusting.

But as a brother… what is the right thing to do?

Ephnel was starting to lose her sense of clarity.

Just then, her phone rang.

Ephnel hastily wiped her face, took out her phone.

The caller ID read “Yonomikenami.”

Yonomikenami was “Magical Girl Ephnel’s” manager and assistant.

That was her public identity.

In reality, Yonomikenami was also Ephnel’s combat communications officer, juggling multiple roles.

She was an outstanding talent who had emerged from the special operations unit, appointed by the organization to work alongside Ephnel.

In the massive disaster a few days ago, Yonomikenami was injured while protecting the Commander during the retreat and had just been discharged from the hospital yesterday.

Yonomikenami was a serious and dedicated person, but due to the need for a disguised identity, although Ephnel’s relationship with her was decent, she didn’t have much personal interaction with her as Yanase Naoto.

But since it was her call, Ephnel could more or less guess the reason.

A performance and fan meeting for the Agent “Magical Girl Ephnel” was scheduled for today.

Yonomikenami had already confirmed the additional performance program with her several times.

This call was likely about related matters.

After the disaster, public morale was low.

This was precisely the time for “Magical Girl Ephnel,” as a hero and spokesperson, to be active.

Although it was just a simple performance event, it was a good opportunity to coincide with an Order press conference.

Due to Seiran’s disappearance, Ephnel, as the most senior of the remaining Agents, also had to take over Seiran’s vacant position and attend the press conference as the representative of the Agents.

This was already part of the plan for this performance event.

In short, due to various reasons, now that Ephnel’s body had recovered, her leisure time was pretty much over.

Ephnel took her phone to her room, locked the door from the inside, and then pressed the answer button.

Yonomikenami’s overly exaggerated voice came from the other end.

–Ephnel! You finally answered the phone! I missed you to death! You left without a word last night, leaving me all alone in the empty…

Beep—

Ephnel hung up the phone without hesitation.

She took back her earlier statement.

Yonomikenami was actually a very ditzy nutcase.

“Serious and dedicated”?

Compared to her flaws, it was like comparing a sesame seed to a watermelon—not worth mentioning.

Less than two seconds later, the phone rang again.

Ephnel sighed silently and answered the call.

–Waaaah… Why did you hang up on me…

–Can… you talk properly?

–No! You hung up on me! You must have another woman on the side…

Beep—

Ephnel hung up again and took a deep breath.

Yonomikenami’s work persona at the Order headquarters and her persona as a responsible manager were two completely different extremes.

Yonomikenami’s own explanation was that she “changed personas for work purposes.”

In any case, Ephnel was really not good at dealing with the “ditzy persona” of Yonomikenami the manager.

That woman always said misleading things with a nonchalant air and then skillfully put on an innocent look.

Ephnel just felt a headache coming on.

She had heard that because the organizer of the fan club was unfortunately injured in the disaster, the person in charge of this offline event had been changed.

Whatever the case… she just hoped the new person in charge wasn’t an unreliable character like Yonomikenami.

The event venue was set in Seikyo City’s largest open-air stadium.

Ephnel arrived by car outside the venue.

It was still far from the opening time for admission, but the place was already packed with people.

Initially, when Ephnel embarked on the path of being the Order Organization’s spokesperson, her job wasn’t simply about performing and earning an income.

It was more about promoting the work of the Order Organization and the Agents.

As a spokesperson, Ephnel, being the strongest Agent in Seikyo City, carried sufficient weight in her words.

The income from these performance-like promotional activities didn’t end up in Ephnel’s or the Order Organization’s pockets.

Most of it was contributed by the Order Organization to the city’s construction fund.

The rest was kept as operating funds.

Although Ephnel earned a lot of money, most of it was just various subsidies for being an Agent.

But as a result, the work Ephnel did was actually somewhat similar to that of an idol, to the point that in many people’s eyes, Ephnel was an Agent Idol—”Magical Girl Ephnel.”

And thanks to the careful management of her manager, Yonomikenami, Ephnel’s popularity in Seikyo City far surpassed that of popular idols.

She even had many fans in other cities.

Every performance event would always bring a peak in crowd flow.

“Please do not crowd! Have your tickets and personal identification ready in advance and line up in an orderly manner to enter!”

Security personnel were maintaining order, but even they were helpless in such a packed place.

Ephnel sighed.

Although she had long been used to it, Ephnel still felt a little strange about being an idol.

She didn’t really like the feeling of being in the spotlight.

She didn’t quite know how to describe it… but she always had the illusion of being pushed forward, watched by countless pairs of eyes.

The fervent emotions contained in those gazes would make one lose their sense of direction.

The prayers of others, the expectations they carried, would be infinitely magnified under such gazes.

“If you don’t fight, it’s a betrayal, it’s murder.”

That feeling would gradually grow.

Over time, it became suffocating.

If she had to say, Ephnel had occasionally thought about it.

“Ephnel” was a constructed image, created because this era needed such a hero.

It just so happened that the one playing the role was Yanase Naoto.

So if she really didn’t want to do it, it wouldn’t matter if she gave up.

But someone had to play “Ephnel.”

If Yanase Naoto didn’t, someone else would take her place, and then, as an Agent, they would continue to fight.

Between “surviving and watching others die” and “dying oneself”… it was difficult to find a balance.

Ephnel probably leaned more towards the slightly more cowardly approach.

But if it was a choice between “Shiomi Yukina will die” and “Yanase Naoto will die,” Ephnel would choose the latter without a moment’s hesitation.

“Ephnel”… this codename should have belonged to Yukina, not Naoto.

Yukina was the one the “Order” had their eyes on, and the one with a greater sense of responsibility than Yanase Naoto.

Unlike her, a halfway Accommodator, Yukina was born with a high aptitude for the “Power of Order.”

It was just that a lot had happened, and in the end, her sister’s destiny had fallen on her shoulders.

And she had accepted it willingly.

Because Shiomi Yukina was her sister, she was willing to do it—it was as simple as that.

People are always swayed by selfish emotions.

It had nothing to do with luck.

Some things will always go against their original intentions.

Anyway, at this point, Ephnel had no regrets about it.