Get off work and become a magical girl

Chapter 304: Return and Confrontation

The dinner ended late at night.

Emerald declined the requests of several employees of the Institute of Magic to take her back to the institute, so on the way back, Delphinium was still the only one riding in the car with her.

Compared to the leisurely and warm scene along the way, Runnore seemed much colder and quieter at night.

Emerald leaned against the back of the chair, closed her eyes, and said nothing, as if she wanted to take a nap on the road like she did when she came here. However, after maintaining this for a while, she still couldn't fall asleep, so she opened her eyes helplessly.

"I slept too much today..."

She groaned in some distress.

She lifted her upper body by the armrest of the chair like an old lady, and her eyes turned to the Emerald sitting opposite her. At this time, Emerald was sitting upright in her seat with her hands folded, her face expressionless and her eyes slightly downcast. She did not react even when Emerald looked at her, and it was obvious that she was thinking about something in her heart.

"What's the matter? Are you really that unhappy?"

So Emerald simply called out and took the initiative to bring up the topic: "You have been acting like someone owes you money since before dinner. Is there something you are not satisfied with?"

"……Do not."

Delphinium raised her head upon hearing this and glanced at Emerald: "I'm just thinking about something."

"What's the problem?" Emerald asked after looking at the street view outside the carriage and realizing that this place was still some distance away from the research institute.

"It's my own business. It has nothing to do with you or them." Delphinium shook her head.

The "they" here naturally refers to the members of the Magic Institute.

"Then you can tell me about it."

Emerald imitated Delphinium's movements and sat up like a real lady. "This is my rare care for the young people. I'm giving you a chance to borrow my wisdom and the wisdom of the head of the institute. Shouldn't you make good use of it?"

"I'm afraid I can't afford it." Delphinium said unhappily.

"I don't think gunpowder is on our dinner menu."

Emerald made a cold joke: "What on earth made you so unhappy? Is it because you still don't want to be the Gem Scepter and think we are forcing you?"

Delphinium glared at her, and she squinted at Delphinium, and the two of them remained in a stalemate for a while.

“…Not really.”

After a moment, perhaps realizing that Emerald would not give up unless she said something, Delphinium sighed and said, "I am not that confused about the importance of things. For me now, continuing to avoid the problem will not solve it, so I was going to agree with your plan."

"Perform merit, atone for sins, and then become the scepter?" Emerald repeated.

"Yes."

Delphinium nodded: "But the problem is, the method of doing this meritorious service."

"Are you still worried about your child?" Emerald spread her hands: "Is it our plan that still can't make you feel at ease?"

"That's one of the reasons."

Delphinium nodded. "But regarding this, I will communicate with them when I return and respect their own will. If they really want to pass the assessment and get the certification card as soon as possible, you must let me participate in the formulation and implementation of the security plan."

"A reasonable request." Emerald nodded. "So it doesn't seem to be worth your moping."

"...Maybe." Delphinium paused: "To be honest, even if I do this, I still feel that this is not right. I am even more disgusting for participating in it and profiting from it... But I know that I have already made my choice and have made preparations, so I have no right to blame you for this matter."

"Hmm, so?" Emerald was noncommittal: "What is the thing that really makes you so angry?"

"You're kidding me, Emerald."

Delphinium had a blank expression on her face, "You clearly knew that someone from Claw Mark had infiltrated Rune Nore a long time ago, and you even knew that some of them were friends with me, and may have even come into contact with me, but you kept pretending that you knew nothing."

"This is slander, young man."

Emerald puffed up her cheeks slightly. "Is it possible that I am just considering your personal privacy and don't want to discuss your social circle without your permission? In addition, not everyone present may know about it, so I need to keep it a secret for you?"

"So you did know that all along?" Delphinium stared at her.

"Yes, I knew it a long time ago." Emerald nodded rather unceremoniously: "After all, Tulip, or the Claw Scar Magic Girl now codenamed 'Golden Snake', is a big celebrity. Even if she disguises herself well, our informants can still infer her identity through multiple verifications. After all, you know, they are in the open and we are in the dark."

"What about the fact that they have seen me?" Delphinium continued to ask.

"How could I know this? Didn't you tell me yourself?"

Emerald spread her hands. "But, although I haven't received any definite information, if I were Claw Scar, I would definitely want to win you over. Although I don't know why they know you are in Runore, as long as you can meet, there should be some communication."

"You know very well that many of them were once Runore, soldiers of the city beneath your feet," said Delphinium.

"Yes." Emerald nodded.

"But now, you have agreed to the plan proposed by the Institute of Demonic Affairs, using bait to lure it here and use it as a sacrifice for your own benefit." Delphinium pressed on step by step.

"What's the problem?" Emerald tilted her head.

"They are the heroes of this country." Delphinium looked at her.

"No, not anymore, young man."

Emerald spoke softly, "They are different from you. Maybe many people still think Cornflower is a hero, but they... I must tell you the truth. They are just traitors to the country and a group of terrorists."

"Then why did they become traitors? Why did a group of people who once fought for the glory of this country become a group of terrorists now?"

Delphinium was relentless: "There can't be no reason for this. There can't be love and hate without reason in this world. What exactly is the reason that brought them to this point?"

"I don't know, young man."

Her question had already hit the nail on the head, but Emerald just looked at her calmly: "I don't know the answer to this question, or I know a little bit, but even if I tell you this, you won't get the whole truth, and you may even suspect that I'm lying to you. So, this is a question you should understand."

"Perhaps you will learn about some huge scandals in the process, or just some sad and trivial stories, but these are not things I should consider. I am the master of Runnore and the protector of the millions of people on this land. For me, it is my duty and responsibility to gain benefits for my city and the institute. I have a clear conscience."

"If you have objections to my plan and think it's too unreasonable, if you don't believe your former colleagues would betray you, or if you even think there's a truth behind this that needs to be uncovered..."

"Then, take all the power you can take, understand all the truth you can understand, and then tell me where I am wrong, where I am wrong, and what you want to do."

At this point, Emerald closed her eyes:

"Climb up, whether it's the power of the Gem Scepter or the higher power of being a magical girl... Keep climbing, young man. Only in this way can you stop those things that you think are 'wrong'. Otherwise, you will be nothing more than the same as them, being swept away by the tide."

(End of this chapter)