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

"I'm just bringing you a quote from the president—'Either offer your loyalty or your lives; don't make the wrong choice.'"

Chapter 152 Different

Helica could roughly guess the general direction of this dream.

Yuuki Yukino harbors many secrets, and her fall from grace has had a profound impact on the entire world of fallen magical girls.

But before Yuuki Yuuki fell into darkness, and as a magical girl fighting alongside herself, all she did was, like any normal magical girl, quell the threats posed by every fallen magical girl in the city.

Isn't that good? Of course not.

Herlica's long-cherished dream came true in this dream.

Together with Yuuki Yuuki, Mizuno Yuu, and Sakura Hanako, they work as magical girls to protect the peace of the city, fighting side by side to eliminate evil.

In reality, Helica wouldn't even dare to think about something like this.

But is this a good idea?

That doesn't necessarily mean it.

Herika watched as Yuuki Yuuki used red thread to bind the two defeated fallen magical girls into a bundle like dumplings. She was about to find a secluded place to give them the final judgment that fallen magical girls should face.

Just like what she did to Miyashita Mia, Yuuki Yuuki didn't mind, and even took on the heavy responsibility that the magical girls were unwilling to take on.

Helica shouldn't have any sympathy for the fallen magical girls, but those two girls had once taken the initiative to play the villain and help her, and they were also Yuuki Yuki's companions in reality.

Now, seeing the two of them about to be sent to the same end by Yuuki Yuki herself, Helica felt somewhat awkward no matter how she looked at it.

I shouldn't be sentimental. I'm in a dream right now, in my own nightmare, where I've seen even more tragic scenes.

But Helica was still somewhat reluctant to look.

As for Yuuki Enishi, she probably doesn't have the heart to ruthlessly execute enemies and ruin their future, right?

This kind of bond between Yuki and Yuki is really strange.

If this is Yuuki Yukino's nightmare, and she suddenly awakens to the truth and watches herself execute her former comrades one by one with her own hands...

This is only one possibility, but Helica feels it is necessary to prevent that possibility from happening.

As for whether it's right or wrong, who cares?

Therefore, Helica felt she would definitely regret it if she did nothing.

"Yuki Yuen".

Herica called out to Yuuki En, who was about to drag the two tightly bound, corrupted magical girls away.

"What's wrong, Tenrai-kun?" Yuuki stopped in her tracks, winked at Herika, completely confused as to why Herika had called out to her at this moment.

Not only Yuuki Yukino was confused, but the other magical girls who had not yet reverted to their transformed state, as well as Nishio Reki, also looked over with puzzlement.

This was a conversation between Helica and Yuuki Yuuki. Helica didn't want others to hear it, so she gave a thumbs up and pointed to a secluded spot.

"Come on, let's go over there and talk."

Although Yuuki Yuki still had some doubts, she followed Tenrai Helica's footsteps without thinking.

It's just a different corner; it won't take long at all.

Looking around and making sure no one could see or hear what was happening, Helica then turned to look at Yuuki Yuuki.

"what are you up to?"

"What are you doing?" Yuuki Yukino was even more stunned by Helica's abrupt question: "Of course, it's to put a trial on the corrupted magical girl!"

“I mean…” Helica paused to gather her thoughts, but what came out still sounded completely nonsensical to herself: “I mean, why did you do this? No, did they really deserve to be judged like this?”

"Tianlei, I don't understand what you mean. Are you planning to plead for them?"

Yuuki Yukino's eyebrows were tightly knotted as she looked Tenrai Herika up and down with an even more complicated expression, as if she were looking at a character who was completely unfamiliar to her.

Helica recognized that look; its name was "doubt."

Such a look had never appeared in Yuuki Yukino's eyes before.

“I’m not pleading for them, I just think… is it really necessary?” Helica said, as if squeezing toothpaste, saying things she herself didn’t even know she was trying to express.

I hope I can stay calm under Yuuki Yukino's gaze.

Therefore, Herika envies Yuuki Yuuki, as well as Mizuno Yuu or Koumori, who are always able to maintain calm thinking in critical moments.

This is something I find very difficult to do myself.

"Exactly, is it possible that they were also coerced in some way?"

Helica continued her dry explanation, trying to remind Yuki of what she had told Yuki about Koumori being coerced by Kuroba Reisei.

"I don't know what their purpose was in doing this, but they are corrupted magical girls, and we, as magical girls, are destined to be their enemies, so I just did what every magical girl should do, nothing more."

Yuuki Yui answered, her tone soft but her attitude resolute, showing no sign that she had been swayed by Herika in the slightest.

Helica herself thought so too, before she learned that Yuuki Yuuki was actually a corrupted magical girl, no, before her nightmare ended.

The real Yuuki Yuuki should know better than herself that corrupted magical girls and magical girls don't necessarily have to fight to the death!

While Helica was thinking about these things, she blurted out her thoughts without thinking.

"But! The Yuuki Yuuki I know doesn't think that way! She sees everything more equally, she's kind to everyone, and she judges everything fairly, instead of simply using her magical girl duties as an excuse to cover everything up because she's a magical girl!"

Ruined.

I seem to have said a bit too much.

If my words really do cause a butterfly effect...

Helica's personality hadn't changed at all; just like every time, she regretted her bluntness.

However, Yuuki Yuuki's reaction seemed to be somewhat different from what Helica had expected.

Yuuki Yukino was stunned.

Immediately, the color drained from her face, and her eyes dimmed, as if she had aged considerably in an instant.

"I know about that too."

Yuuki Yukino murmured.

"I don't want to do this kind of thing either."

"Moreover, I've tried my best in everything, and I've been trying to do it well. I think... I've done a good job, avoided all the negative situations, and I should have done a good job..."

"But...I..."

After a moment of silence, Yuuki Yuki sighed softly.

"Tianlei, I'm sorry, I don't have a better way. If you can think of a more perfect method, could you tell me?"

Yuuki Yukino wasn't picking a fight with her; her eyes were so clear that Herlica believed she genuinely wanted to ask her for a more perfect solution.

But Helica didn't; she knew nothing and couldn't think of anything.

She hadn't even fully recovered from the self-blame for accidentally saying the wrong thing when she took on the new accusation of causing Yuuki Eri's mood to suddenly drop.

After another long silence, Helica shook her head.

"I-I don't know either."

"In that case, Tianlei, may I do what I think is right, and do what a magical girl should do to a fallen magical girl?"

Yuuki Yukino is still seeking her opinion.

"Ah."

Helica nodded.

With her head bowed, Yuuki Yukino, along with the two bound girls, disappeared at the end of the road.

Not long after, Yuuki Yuki came out, all alone, with the gloomy expression that Helica knew.

"Is it over?" Helica asked.

“It’s over,” Yuuki Yuuki replied.

Then, no one spoke again. The two remained silent and returned to the magical girl group.

Helica was even more confused about what this nightmare was all about.

But if this exchange program was a trap set by Kuroba Rise, then I and the magical girls should have perfectly solved this problem, right?

In the style of magical girls?

……

Time keeps moving forward, day after day.

Then, it got colder and started snowing, but the corrupted magical girls still didn't make much of a move.

Yuuki Yui contacted Inuyama Tomoe several times and invited her to participate in several outings. Inuyama Tomoe was happy to hang out with everyone.

No one noticed that Bachi was a corrupted magical girl, and Bachi played her role well as a reporter for the magical girls at St. Eternal Academy.

Baqi was perfectly fulfilling her duties, providing the information that Yuuki En had asked her to collect.

There was no unnecessary judgment, nor did they reveal to the magical girls the information they learned outside the dream world.

Aside from the fact that Bachi still has long hair and is a reasonable and unpretentious young lady, there's nothing wrong with Herika.

This was the longest dream she had ever experienced, much longer than Mizuno Yu's boring role-playing game, and it seemed unlikely to end so easily anytime soon.

There were no bizarre developments, no despairing realities, and no sabotage by Sumireko Yumehara; everything was just a repetitive, yet somewhat novel, daily routine.

If it weren't for subtle details—such as Herika feeling that she had spent a month in a dream, but it was actually just a dream illusion—she would have truly believed that she was now in reality.

But what kind of despair lurks beneath this routine is something Helica Tenrai doesn't want to think about.

Perhaps this is just a delaying tactic by Sumireko Yumehara, a plan to trap herself here forever?

Helica didn't know.

However, the ever-advancing daily routine has already brought us to the end of the year.

Chapter 153 Knots

"Senior Tianlei, aren't you planning to attend the school's Christmas Eve party? You should be really looking forward to it, right?"

Hearing Tenrai Herika's words, Sakura Hanako was slightly surprised and quickly asked Tenrai Herika what had happened after she said she didn't plan to attend the memorial party held by Tsukimi Middle School.