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

Helica is a magical girl, and no matter what she thinks or does, she can't escape her identity as a magical girl.

Actually, she didn't need to get rid of it.

If she could go back in time, she would just want to slap her past self, who wanted to leave Nijisanji, twice across the face. (Ling)

Only when she lost it did Helica realize how much she had cherished those hard-won and wonderful times.

Although she can never go back to that wonderful time.

Mizuno Yu, that idiot who always does stupid things, I will never have the chance to see her do anything stupid again.

Sakura Hanako, that junior who is sometimes overly serious, ordinary yet striving in her own unique way, still has a chance to be saved.

"The confused person I used to be is dead. I know what I want now. Please don't stop me."

Helika's words were also very polite, which was quite unlike her usual style.

But this was also her ultimatum.

If Yuuki Yuki insists on going her own way, then Helica will have no choice but to regard her as an enemy she must overcome.

Yuuki Yukino slowly opened her squinted eyes, revealing an emotion that Helika couldn't discern. Perhaps Yuuki Yukino herself didn't have any strong emotional fluctuations; she simply looked back with a calm, unwavering gaze.

Herlica met Yuuki Yuuki's gaze directly, her eyes filled with unwavering determination, and she engaged in a silent confrontation with him without fear.

This must be very dangerous. After hearing Yuuki Yui's story of how she single-handedly eliminated almost all the hostile forces in Moonsea City, Herika became even more convinced of Yuuki Yui's extraordinary nature.

But Helica wasn't afraid, not at all; she didn't even know what she had been afraid of before.

The silent standoff lasted for nearly a minute.

Faced with Helica's domineering attitude, Yuuki Yukino actually chose to back down.

"never mind."

Yuuki sighed and pulled up a chair to sit down.

Herlica didn't even bother to ask what Yuuki Yuki's words meant, nor did she have the time to ask.

Yuuki Yukino's retreat gave her ample reason to turn around and leave, and Helica did the same.

Just as she turned to leave the bar, Yuuki Yuuki's sudden question reached her ears again.

"You like me, right?"

Herlica frowned, and her steps faltered, causing her to return to her original spot.

Now she really didn't understand why Yuuki Yukino would say something like this at a time like this.

Seeing that she had stopped, Yuuki Yuki remained sitting there, looking up at Helica standing in front of the bar.

"You want to go because of your duty as a magical girl, right?"

In a sense, Yuuki Yukino is right; she did it because of her duty as a magical girl.

"You also want to cut ties with the past, right?"

"What does this have to do with you?" Helica was fed up with Yuuki Yuuki's inexplicable questions.

"Haven't you ever wondered why I asked you to stay here? Why did you happen to end up here? Why are you so perfectly suited to this situation?"

Yuuki Yuki's questions came one after another, all of which tested Helica's already dwindling patience, making her unwilling to listen to or say another word.

"I told you, this has nothing to do with you, and I don't want to hear your useless words," Helica said, using her last bit of patience to refuse.

"Because I need you, Helica."

Helica clearly heard Yuuki Yuuki say that.

Herlica kept wondering why Yuuki Yuuki would set up such a stage, but in the end she felt that her guess was missing something.

Now, Yuuki Enishi has revealed her entire plan to Helica.

If the phrase "I need you" had been spoken in a different context, or if it had been said earlier in the morning, Helica would definitely not be feeling the way she does now.

Otherwise, things wouldn't have come to this.

“I understand you, Helica. I understand the reasons behind everything you’ve done,” Yuuki Yuu explained, leaning against the cabinet behind the bar, still looking up at Helica’s face as before.

"It's because of me, isn't it? Because you have to make a choice: you can't betray your responsibilities as a magical girl, you can't be at odds with everyone in Nijisanji, and you can't continue to get along with me normally."

Yuuki Yukino was right; she had completely seen through Helica's thoughts.

"You felt there was no other way, so you cut off everything related to me, wanting to escape to a place where I don't exist?"

These words sounded strange coming from Yuuki Enishi, but they were absolutely correct.

“However, there is actually another option, right?” Yuuki Yukino’s eyes narrowed again, making Herika feel very uncomfortable.

Herlica's discomfort was not directly caused by Yuuki's expression. Her expression was as familiar as she knew, possessing an indescribable charm that seemed to make her heart skip a beat.

Herlica had a premonition that the alternative option Yuuki was about to suggest, and everything she had done, would make people feel uncomfortable just by hearing about it.

That's right, Yuuki Yuuki had already given a hint; her words, "I need you," were the answer to everything.

"What choice?"

Helica still asked the question.

"Join me, follow the path I've paved for you, sever ties with the other members of Nijisanji, sever your duties as a magical girl, no longer suppress any of your emotions, be your most authentic self, be the Helica I know."

Up to this point, Yuuki Yuki was right. As long as one abandons the duties of a magical girl and falls into darkness with Yuuki Yuki, all of one's troubles will be resolved.

If we were to simply give up, that wouldn't be so bad.

She could still be with Yuuki Yuki, even if it wasn't a relationship in the strict sense, she could still share in Yuuki Yuki's feelings, just like Inuyama Tomoe and Nishio Reki.

No matter what, Yuuki Yukino has gone to such lengths for me, she must have feelings for me, right?

"Or, you can choose to refuse me, that's perfectly fine. But in that case, all that awaits you is a happy reunion with everyone in Nijisanji."

A world of harmony and happiness? In which world is there such harmony and happiness?

To Helica, this was an undisguised and blatant threat.

On one hand, she can abandon everything and get what she wants; on the other hand, she is threatened by a corrupt magical girl who has overturned Moonsea City.

Choosing which side to take should no longer be a problem for Helica.

Is that right?

What did Yuuki Yukino just say?

Paving the way? Cutting off contact?

It refers to erasing one's former comrades in the simplest and most brutal way.

Is it just because she has feelings for him that she's gone this far? Completely disregarding the safety of others?

Is this what they call paving the way? Is this what they call the dark rules of conduct of a corrupted magical girl who is completely indifferent to the lives of others?

Even though the surging emotions within her prevented her from taking that irreversible step with Yuuki Yui, from completely severing ties with her, and from parting ways with the path of a magical girl, it was because she didn't want to fight Yuuki Yui.

She had already experienced the feeling of losing Yuuki En once in Nijima City. When Yuuki En was crushed by Urouge Mashiro's giant hand, she clearly realized just how deep her feelings for Yuuki En were.

However, if she had to choose between Yuuki Yuki and her duty, she would still choose the duty of protecting magical girls.

Even if it means risking experiencing that excruciating pain—as if her heart were being torn apart and bleeding profusely—she would still choose this path.

One's future and one's present are not inherently in conflict.

But if Yuuki Eri wants to destroy her present and the present of many others, Helica will stop her, even if it costs her own future.

This is what I, who like Yuuki Yuki, have to do.

Snapped.

Herlica swung her hand and slapped Yuuki Yuuki across the face.

But that hand couldn't possibly touch Yuuki Yukino.

A stronger hand grabbed Herika's wrist, shielding Yuuki from that vicious slap.

From beneath the red cloak, Inuyama Tomoe, with an unfriendly gaze, appeared at the bar and was now tightly gripping Herika's wrist.

Herika forcefully shook off the hand that was holding her by Baqi, and shook it violently in the air, as if to relieve the pain caused by the force exerted on her wrist.

"poor!"

After saying that, Helica turned and strode towards the store door without looking back.

"Have you thought it through?" Yuuki Yu's voice came from behind.

Helica didn't answer, just like she did tonight.

But her mindset has completely changed.

Even if you go, you might not find your place in the world. Is that okay?

Yuki asked again.

"None of your business!"

Helica answered loudly, leaving only her back view.

A moment later, even that figure disappeared.

Silence, a long silence, began to permeate the area in front of the bar.

“Um… Yuuki?” Baqi poked Yuuki’s face.

"Phew! She's gone! She's finally gone! I thought she was really not leaving!"

Having been poked in the face, Yuuki Yukino slumped into a chair like a balloon, limp and relaxed.

"Yes, yes, yes, they're gone, they're gone." Ignoring the stares of others, Baqi buried Yuuki Yuki's face in her chest and stroked her fur like she was coaxing a child.

"But I have to say, Xiaoyuan, you're really not suited to playing villains at all. You overacted, your lines were a mess, and your expressions were always blank. You had absolutely no presence, okay?"

Baqi patted Yuuki Yukino's head a few more times: "However, it's enough to fool that simple-minded, blond dwarf."

“That’s true,” Yuuki Yuki muttered.

"But Xiaoyuan, are you sure you're okay with making yourself look so bad?"

“No problem, I know Helica too well…”

"Herika? How affectionate," Baki said sarcastically, but she didn't seem particularly jealous.