Chapter 19: A New Combatant’s Resolve

[An urgent broadcast interruption: This morning, following an attack on the Magical Science Squad, the Dark Organization once again launched a heinous assault on the campus, targeting innocent teachers and students. Fortunately, thanks to the valiant efforts of the Magical Science Squad members, they were temporarily repelled…]

Within a long-abandoned ruin, the Dark Organization’s base, Dal was playfully swatting at a dilapidated, scavenged radio with her small hands, making a ‘pat-pat’ sound.

“Ugh… why does this thing keep talking bad about us? How annoying! It must be something those detestable magical girls created—”

The young girl puffed out her cheeks, muttering indignantly under her breath.

To her, such antiquated devices were incomprehensible high-tech marvels.

Fortunately, she was not alone; Ling Xing, who had just returned and pushed open the door, was smiling as she watched Dal proudly display her salvaged trophy.

As a highly intelligent, elite combatant who had received compulsory education, Ling Xing—

“Exactly! This is a brainwashing tool of the evil magical girls! If one doesn’t possess strong mental fortitude, they would surely be brainwashed by those wicked magical girls!”

She chimed in with a perfectly straight face, spouting nonsense that went along with Dal’s words!

“Eh, eh—so, so scary! Then, then let’s just throw it away!”

“Hmph, such a primitive brainwashing tool is useless against us, members of the Dark Organization. In fact, it might even expose information about the magical girls. Rather, by confiscating a magical girl’s evil tool, you’ve saved another ordinary person from being brainwashed, Dal. You truly are the best—”

“Oh, oh! I’m so amazing! Ah, ehehe, I’m not that amazing, really…”

****

Having been jolted awake early by Dal on her tricycle, Chao Wu suppressed the urge to retort.

Seeing Ling Xing, who was even smaller than herself, playfully indulging the tiny girl with the adorable fangs, Chao Wu had a sudden illusion that this wasn’t the Dark Organization at all, but rather two chuunibyo girls playing make-believe.

It was completely different from how Ling Xing behaved around her.

She felt a distinct sense of displeasure.

“That certainly doesn’t align with reality. Shouldn’t Ling Xing have repelled the Magical Science Squad?”

Climbing off the only intact sofa in the decrepit room, Chao Wu rubbed her stiff shoulders as she spoke.

Before her, Ling Xing was perched comfortably on a corner of the sofa, smiling, with Dal in her arms, gently pinching the girl’s soft cheeks.

“Is there even a need to ask? I simply took them out one by one, charging directly from the first floor to the third, then back from the third to the first, relentlessly pursuing them, seven times in and seven times out, as if entering an uninhabited land!”

“Ling Xing, you’re so amazing!”

The young executive’s eyes sparkled, and she rubbed against Ling Xing like an affectionate kitten.

“……”

That distinct sense of displeasure returned.

****

Frowning in irritation, Chao Wu raised a hand, twirling a few strands of her hair around her fingertips, attempting to steer the conversation back on track.

“So, has the problem been resolved?”

“More or less. Anyway, Dal, could I trouble you to make some food for this dummy? She’s starving, her stomach rumbling, but she’s too embarrassed to say anything—”

“I, I’m not…”

Grumble—

Chao Wu instinctively wanted to retort, but her stomach inconveniently let out a loud protest.

Pursing her lips, Chao Wu buried her face low, fearing that the two of them would see her embarrassment.

However, they clearly weren’t concerned with such matters.

“Oh! Leave it to me, Dal! I’ll show that dummy magical girl the power of our Dark Organization!”

“Alright, alright, let me witness Dal’s skills for the first time in a while! Don’t worry about food rationing, just make a grand feast!”

“Oh!”

Jumping down from Ling Xing’s embrace, Dal skipped off, raising her hands in excitement, and merrily dashed towards the kitchen.

It was just a meal, yet these two were as boisterous as characters from some card-battling anime.

Unbeknownst to herself, Chao Wu felt a little infected by the atmosphere; she seemed less reserved than yesterday.

“…You two are certainly full of energy.”

“Aren’t girls this age all like this? Lively and boisterous, magical girls too, right?”

“Is that so…”

False.

Perhaps it once was, but now—

The first rule of becoming a magical girl was to obey organizational arrangements and commands, to become a rigorous, militarized individual.

Such boisterous individuals in the organization would only be severely straightened out with a mind-correction rod.

****

“Ling Xing.”

“Hmm?”

‘I don’t want to think about it anymore.’

Taking advantage of Dal’s absence, Chao Wu stealthily shifted her weight, inching closer to Ling Xing’s side.

“I’m not a dummy magical girl. I feel like I’ve gotten a little smarter…”

“For example?”

“For example, you, who’s always been so frugal, even hesitant to eat meat, suddenly told Dal not to worry about future provisions and to make a grand feast…”

‘She must be facing something so dangerous that she doesn’t even know if she’ll return.’

‘Leaving Dal and me behind, pretending nothing happened, going out alone to solve the problem, or perhaps never coming back.’

‘It’s less about intelligence and more about intuition.’

‘Hmph, I hate these kids with sharp instincts the most.’

Ling Xing waved her hand, feigning nonchalance as she patted the radio on the table.

“Nonsense! I was just worried you wouldn’t be used to the food. You’re accustomed to the magical girl-only cafeteria; you probably can’t eat anything without a trace of meat, can you?”

“……”

Chao Wu did not reply, merely staring silently at Ling Xing’s face.

Feeling somewhat uneasy under her gaze, Ling Xing could only fiddle with the radio, pretending not to notice her.

Just then, it happened to switch to a channel with a signal.

[Static… The Anomaly Detection Agency reports the detection of abnormal magical energy. Tonight, monsters may appear in the city. The Pacific Front has dispatched a squad of samurai to assist. Please remain indoors, do not…]

“……”

“……Sigh.”

‘How unlucky.’

Ling Xing sighed, finally meeting Chao Wu’s unwavering gaze.

“Alright, it’s pretty much as you guessed. That busty monster who’s after your head is preparing to gather her vassal samurai, along with herself and her retainers, for a large-scale raid on the Dark Organization.”

Setting down the radio, Ling Xing deftly flipped an ornate ring between her fingers, catching it in her palm.

She then opened her hand, presenting it to Chao Wu.

“Please help me transfer Dal to a safe place. It might not be much for a magical girl, but it’s worth a bit of money, consider it a small token of my appreciation.”

“What is this? A marriage proposal? I accept.”

“Huh?”

Ling Xing blinked, looking at Chao Wu with a hint of bewilderment as she extended her hand, making a gesture for Ling Xing to place the ring on her finger.

Then, after several seconds of bewildered staring, Chao Wu finally couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“Hahaha… I really have gotten smarter, haven’t I? Making the other person unable to react—that’s what you call ‘presence’—right?”

“Eh, you’ve actually stolen the secret techniques of our Dark Organization’s combatants, you detestable magical girl…”

“I didn’t steal it! Dal taught me this—”

Sweeping back her long hair, Chao Wu let out a light laugh and stood up straight.

****

Then, Dal cheerfully emerged from the kitchen, swaying slightly as she balanced a plate of sliced luncheon meat on her head.

“Yoho! Ling Xing, come on, let’s celebrate our branch finally gaining a new combatant! We can have a great meal today!”

“I’ve already told the executive that I want to join the Dark Organization and become a combatant… Please take care of me, Elite Combatant Senior Ling Xing. We will complete tonight’s mission together.”

Chao Wu, the girl who once idealized being a magical girl, was now smiling with genuine sincerity, standing at attention, and giving Ling Xing a perfect combatant’s salute.