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

"Even if I'm not in Nijisanji, even without me, isn't Nijisanji not complete?"

Yuki Yukino left, but Sakura Hanako stood there, stunned, unable to utter a word.

The question she sought out Yuuki Yukino after school today, and even followed her for so long to find out, has now been answered.

There was never any conflict between Tenrai Helica and Mizuno Yu; it was all just Sakura Hanako's imagination.

On the contrary, it is precisely because Tenrai Herica and Mizuno Yu have no conflict that the problem facing Sakura Hanako becomes even more difficult.

Yuuki Yukino is undoubtedly the culprit behind Nijisanji's current predicament.

However, the solution to the problem of Nijisanji's disintegration has never been Yuuki Yuzuriha.

Until Yuuki Yuki walked away and disappeared from the horizon.

Even after Sakura Hanako returned home and lay on her bed staring at the pitch-black ceiling, Yuki Eri's words still echoed in her ears.

Yuuki Yukino succinctly pinpointed the most critical issue facing Nijisanji.

"Even if I want to go back, even if I want to continue being with everyone, I can't. Whether I can go back to Nijisanji, whether we can go back together, the decision has never been in my hands."

Chapter Seventeen: Let's Go Back

If you were to ask the students of Yuehai Middle School this question—who is the best student at Yuehai Middle School?

The answers that would be obtained would be varied and numerous.

But if you ask which student is the most troublesome, the answer becomes clear.

"Helica, right? Although she has always held the top spot in her grade, even I, the student council president, can't compare, her talent for causing trouble is even greater than her talent for studying."

"It must be Senior Helica Tenrai, right? Even though I'm a member of the Disciplinary Committee, I don't dare to mess with that senior. Wow, I heard she's really fierce when she's angry."

"Nonsense, who else could it be but that blond shorty?"

"Senior Tianlei, although she is a good senior in the club, she can be quite troublesome at times. I really miss the days when she was around, since I haven't seen her for so long."

"Although some people say that I self-harm, attempt suicide, run away from home, and lose faith in life, it's not me anyway."

"Why are you looking at me? Are you crazy? What does this have to do with me?"

In short, there is an unspoken rule among the students of Yuehai Middle School, or rather, it has developed to the point of being a bizarre campus rule.

If you encounter a short, blonde girl who looks like a middle school student at school, avoid making eye contact with her.

If you accidentally make eye contact, look away before she locks her gaze onto you.

If she has already discovered you, do not panic or run away; wait for her to leave on her own.

If the other party does not intend to leave on their own, then good luck to them.

These rules are repeated to every new student upon enrollment, and although most people treat it as a joke, the fear of Herika is evident.

It wasn't disgust or disdain, it was simply a fear of accidentally igniting this golden powder keg.

Every day at school, students who encountered Helica would make way for her.

If Helica Tenrai were a delinquent girl who would be proud of it, then everything would be fine. However, she is not. In essence, she is just an ordinary student.

But Helica herself was already used to this kind of differential treatment.

This isn't the first day she's lived like this, and it certainly won't be the last.

She had been through it all alone before, and now she's just going back to living alone.

It all started after the day the school trip ended.

……

"Any other questions?"

The instigator of everything after whispering with the pink demon and Yuuki Yukino, the corrupted magical girl with black magic markings on her face, turned her head back to look at Helica, seemingly observing her movements, before shifting her gaze back.

"That's all."

Helica heard Yuuki Yuuki's reply.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now." Genken Mashiro waved to Yuuki Yuuki, then raised her arm even higher and waved to Helica as well, her farewell clearly audible.

We just let her go like that?

How could this be?

After all that trouble and chaos, they just let him leave without a clear explanation, without even figuring out his purpose.

Helica felt as if she had punched a piece of cotton.

Judging from Yuuki Yukino's expression, she must have gained some information during their conversation.

Mashiro Gorgen also did something, and although the result wasn't very satisfactory to her, she should have gained something from it.

But I was the only one who gained nothing, like a fool.

"Wait! You can't leave!"

Helica, exhausted from several rounds of battle, held up her warhammer in front of Mashiro Urouge, who had not yet transformed.

"Don't be impulsive." Mizuno Yu placed her hand on Helika's arm, stopping the lightning-fast Helika who seemed ready to charge forward at any moment.

"Why should I?" Herica's gaze towards Mizuno Yu underwent a subtle change.

When she was planning to settle things with Seishin, Mizuno Yu stopped her in this way. Now that the culprit is about to leave, why is Mizuno Yu still stopping her?

"If war breaks out again, the best-case scenario for us is that no one else will interfere. Only you and I will continue to fight." Mizuno Yu stated her analysis methodically: "Everyone is exhausted, and the outcome of the battle is still uncertain."

"Lin Jiezi is still alive. We don't know what happened to her yet. If something else happens to her, it will be very disadvantageous for us."

Herlica had to admit that what Mizuno Yu said was the wisest choice.

Lin Jiezi, who is still unable to unleash her divine power and has some unknown problem, would be too unpredictable if a real fight broke out.

A temporary truce, followed by further discussions, is the best way to preserve our strength. Reckless advances may not necessarily yield the desired results.

Helica knew this, but she was just unwilling to accept it.

"That's your problem! What does it have to do with me! She's right here! You know she's strong. If we don't stop her here now, if we don't take this opportunity to get rid of her..."

"Helica the Thunder! Do you even consider me a companion, or a friend?"

Mizuno Yu rarely shows her emotions, and she almost never calls Helica by her full name.

It's clear that Mizuno Yu is genuinely anxious right now.

Herlica was also somewhat overwhelmed by Mizuno Yu's imposing aura, and she stammered a few times guiltily, her domineering presence when she stopped Gen Ken Mashiro slowly melting away.

"Of course... Why ask this now?"

“If you insist on fighting to the death, I will accompany you.” Mizuno Yu withdrew the hand that was resting on Helica’s arm and placed it on the bowstring in her own hand. “However, I do not want to watch my friend die in vain.”

“You…” Herika glared fiercely at Mizuno Yu.

This is moral blackmail. Although Mizuno Yu is doing it for her own good, it is also true that she used this kind of rhetoric to force Herika, who cares about everyone in Nijisanji, to stop going her own way.

If Helica insists on going, Mizuno Yuu won't let her go; Helica is absolutely confident of that.

But precisely because of this, Helica couldn't refuse Mizuno Yu.

"I see!"

Without saying a word, Gen Ken Mashiro simply walked past Helica, picked up the still unconscious Seishin lying on the ground, and headed down the mountain path.

I'm so annoyed, so incredibly annoyed!

After the school trip started, I had no idea what I was doing.

Every normal person has a clear line of thought and things they want to do.

But Helica felt that her thoughts kept changing.

Whether you're preparing to confess to Yuuki Yuuki, backing out at the last minute, or suddenly mustering the courage to confess on a whim...

Whether it's the fear of knowing Yuuki Yuki's true identity and her subsequent avoidance, the self-destructive behavior after learning that Yuuki Yuki is a corrupted magical girl, the determination to end things with Yuuki Yuki, or the regret after seeing Yuuki Yuki disappear...

Helica's intentions kept changing; she wanted to fulfill her duties, but she was unwilling to let things escalate to this point with Yuuki Yuuki.

This version of myself changed my mind once again, and watched helplessly as my greatest enemy limped away.

Seriously, this is so annoying.

"Now that she's left, shouldn't we be able to leave too?" Yuuki Yui tilted her head, her voice weak and listless after a whole night of intense fighting.

Where are you planning to go?

Mizuno Yuu had a completely different attitude when facing Yuuki Yui.

They knew each other too well.

Moreover, Mizuno Yuu of the Pink Devil Team is someone she can talk to, and she has many questions that she needs to verify with Yuuki Yuuki.

"We should be going the same way, right?"

Under the piercing gaze of Mizuno Yu, the silver-haired girl blocked Mizuno Yu's path with her own body.

It was Inuyama Tomoe; Helica already knew her identity.

Where we go and what we do is none of your business, right?

As Baqi spoke, a chilling glint flashed in her narrowed red eyes: "Or is it necessary to bring our battle to a close?"

"Forget it." Yuuki Yu patted Baqi's shoulder, placed her palm on it, and walked past Baqi back into Mizuno Yu's cold gaze.

"There's no need to resolve all the conflicts tonight, is there?"

The ominous magical power began to gather beneath Yuuki Yuki's feet, growing ever stronger like a swirling vortex. Although it had not yet taken on a concrete shape, if she made any rash moves, the flickering blackish-purple light would certainly not give up.

"If you insist on having us stay as guests, we are not unwilling to reluctantly grant this troublesome request."

Although Helica Tenrai had no intention of keeping Yuuki Yukino and her group.

Just now, when facing Mashiro Urouge, I was planning to force her to stay, but now I'm treating Yuuki Yukino completely differently. Honestly...

Mizuno Yu glanced at Helica beside her. Helica was also unsure what Mizuno Yu had figured out, but in the end, Mizuno Yu also chose to back down this time.

"We hope you can give us an explanation once we return to Yuehai City."

Afterwards, Yuuki Yuuki and Inuyama Tomoe also left, leaving only the three magical girls and Hayashi Mustard, who had no idea what had happened.

"so……"