Even if you're a corrupted magical girl, you still have to try to redeem yourself.

What I've done, what I'm doing, and my plans for the future all seem somewhat ridiculous.

"Yuki Yuen".

Helica called out the other person's name softly in a hoarse voice.

Yuuki Yukino's full name.

Herika had no idea what Yuuki was thinking, but Yuuki didn't react. She just stayed in the same position, leaning against the wall with her hands raised to block something.

"Yuki Yuen!"

Helica called out again.

This time, Yuuki Yuuki finally reacted.

He slowly lowered his hands, his arms hanging limply at his sides, as if resigned to his fate, looking up at Helica who was looking down at him with an indescribable expression.

"You go back first."

Although it was hard to notice, Helica noticed that Yuuki Yuuki seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Then, Yuuki Yukino opened her lips.

"Can……"

"Go back first!" Helica shouted, her voice cracking as if she were tearing her throat apart, causing the pain to rise.

This was the most exhilarating moment Helica had experienced all day.

Then, with the reluctant, slow footsteps of Yuuki Yuuki as she slowly walked away, Helica saw no one left.

Then, Helica had nothing left in her heart.

How can I describe how I feel right now?

It's like the mess left behind after a wild and chaotic banquet.

Leftovers that are impossible to swallow, a broken plate that will cut you at the slightest touch, and a heart full of devastation.

Helica sat down, just as she had when she came out.

He picked up the coat that had fallen to the ground.

Now no one will put that coat on her anymore.

Then he slammed it to the ground.

Should I burst into tears right now?

But Helica couldn't cry; not a single tear could be squeezed from her eyes.

So, shall we make a scene?

Stop joking, what's the point of doing that kind of venting?

Am I really being ridiculous?

I did this, I did that, I planned for a long time, but in the end, because of a momentary impulse, or that damned momentary impulse, all my plans went down the drain.

It's not laughable at all. My feelings for Yuuki Yuuki, my true feelings, are not laughable at all.

But what should I do now?

How should I face them tomorrow?

Or you could run away, run as far away as possible, to a place where no one can find you.

How could that be...?

Helica spread her arms and fell backward, face up.

The stars in the sky remain dim, unchanged by this farce.

Her feelings would not change despite Yuuki Enishi's regrettable response.

Herlica touched the stinging corner of her lips; the fresh pain reminded her that everything that had just happened had indeed occurred.

The feel of the lips, the softness of the hair—these are all things I've truly experienced.

Herlica clenched her fist and slammed it down heavily onto the steps beside her.

The force of the recoil made Helica's arm go numb, but it also served as a further reminder of the reality of what had just happened.

Why am I still thinking about this kind of thing at a time like this?

With her mind in turmoil, she touched something on the dark steps.

The texture told her that it was a neatly folded piece of paper.

Helica casually held the paper above her head.

Then, through the moonlight shining through the paper, Helica saw what was written on it.

It was just an ordinary piece of white paper, the same kind they used for drawing lots in the King's Game.

A line of neat, small characters was written on the white paper.

"Wish Coupon".

"With this voucher, you can make a wish to Yuuki Yui at any time that can be granted."

In the corner, there was also a small footnote.

"You were disappointed with the last round of the game, weren't you? If there's anything I can do to grant you, please don't hesitate to ask me. I hope you have a great time on this school trip."

"Hmph." Helica gave a bitter laugh.

"What? Is this a child? Always doing unnecessary things."

If those things hadn't happened, Yuuki Yukino would have casually pulled out this silly thing and used it to cheer herself up, right?

Yuki Yukino is like that, possessing a delicate quality that others lack, and harboring an excess of tenderness.

That's why I like her.

If I use this, will Yuuki Yuki be able to date me?

What? Why are you still thinking about such unrealistic things at a time like this?

I don't even know how I'm going to face her tomorrow.

Herika crumpled the note into a ball in her hand.

Herlica raised her hand, intending to slam the small piece of paper with writing on it to the ground.

But she didn't do that.

She couldn't bear to do that.

Finally, Helica smoothed out the crumpled paper and pressed it against her chest.

"what--"

The girl let out a long breath and turned her gaze back to the distant starry sky.

From the very beginning, the only thing that has stayed by my side and will never change is this starry sky.

But the starry sky is so blurry today.

It was as if a layer of shimmering water enveloped the entire starry sky, melting the sparse starlight into a halo in her eyes, making it impossible for Herika to distinguish the constellations she was familiar with.

Helica sniffled, trying her best to suppress a sob.

"Is this what heartbreak is?"

Chapter Seventy-One: Nightfall

It took Herika a long time to walk down the cold steps back to her room in the hotel.

Most of that time was spent repeatedly hesitating, trying to convince myself.

She had to convince herself that she had asked to join the study tour group on her own initiative, and that she couldn't run away again.

She needs to sort out her feelings and think about how she should face her teammates in the future, and how she should face Yuuki Yukino, who has not given her a clear answer.

This really took a very long time.

When she finally reached the doorway of the hotel room, she began to notice that the atmosphere was a bit strange.

Under normal circumstances, Nishio Reki—the girl who promised to help him pursue Yuuki Eri—would never be leaning against the wall in the corridor with an unfriendly expression, arms crossed.

Even from a distance, and even in the dim light of the hotel, Herika could still feel the sharp gaze emanating from those eyes, a gaze that seemed to pierce through her.

Before Helica could get any closer, Nishio Reki walked over first.

Wow, that was Helica's first impression.

Of course, it can't compare to when she transforms into a magical girl, but this is the first time Helica has seen Nishio Reki move so quickly.

The hand grabbed his collar, like it was grabbing a kitten, and forced him against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

Herlica's back slammed against the wall coated with soundproofing material without making a sound, but the force felt as if it were about to break Herlica's bones, causing her to gasp.

"What did you do to Xiaoyuan?"

She was met with Nishio Reki's merciless questioning and a murderous glare.

"I……"

Herlica turned her red, tear-filled eyes around, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the still-open room behind Nishio Reki.

The dimly lit room made it impossible to see the specifics, but from the dark outlines, one could see that the bedding laid out on the floor was piled up haphazardly to one side, and the person who had been lying on it was nowhere to be found.

In Helica's mind, the most likely scenario was that after she returned, Yuuki Yuuki would still be keeping her secret to ensure the success of the school trip, smiling as she covered up the details of her recent confession.

It seems the consequences of this farce are far greater than I imagined.

The harm she had caused to Yuuki Eri was far greater than Helica had anticipated.

Looking back, whether she was attacked by magical girls or faced insurmountable difficulties, Yuuki Yuuki never showed that vulnerable and helpless expression.

The real Yuuki Yuki is probably much more fragile than she imagines.

What happened to your mouth?

Noticing the barely perceptible wound on Helica's lip, Nishio Reki's breathing seemed to become even heavier, the sounds of his inhalation and exhalation particularly clear in the quiet corridor.

"What exactly did you do to Xiaoyuan?"