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

Yuuki Yukino was also able to sense what Hanzawa Kuriko was about to do once she regained consciousness.

From Hanzawa Kuriko's actions, attacks, expressions, tone of voice, and so on, everything was conveying the same message to Yuuki Yuuki.

It wasn't a lie that Hanzawa Kuriko wanted to personally put a period to the whole matter; it's just that the way she supposedly put a period to it was somewhat different from what she actually did.

Not long after Yuuki Yuuki fell into darkness and lost her memory due to giving up a portion of the power of the Goddess of Bonds, she encountered her first formidable enemy on the Moon Sea Tower.

Although Yuuki Yukari's tone was extremely harsh at the time, she was not actually telling Tsukimi Rie to commit suicide. Instead, she was using that direct method to make Tsukimi Rie understand why she should live.

Although Yuuki Yukino was playing the role of a villain at the time, this villainous role was quickly exposed by both Tsukimi Rie and Nishio Reki, who was hiding his identity at the time.

But now, Hanzawa Kuriko is doing the exact opposite of what Yuuki En had thought back then.

Hanzawa Kuriko came to the conclusion that she had to personally face the end after careful consideration.

Witnessed by the sister of a teammate he had hurt, being driven to his death by the very person who hated him—it seemed there was no better ending than this.

But that's a problem.

This is completely different from what Yuuki Yuki had expected.

However, Yuuki Yukino still has to answer Hanzawa Kuriko's question.

"What's with all this love and hate stuff? It's all so complicated. I'm too lazy to think about it all." Yuuki Yukari shook her head, then sat down on the ground a short distance from Hanzawa Kuriko.

"But you think that dying will erase everything you've done?"

"So, do you think I'm a bad person?" Hanzawa Kuriko replied, seemingly unrelated to the question.

"Stop changing the subject. I'm not your confessional, so apologizing to me won't do you any good. If you have something to say, go talk to my sister in person." Yuuki Yuen pouted.

Seeing Hanzawa Kuriko's slightly surprised expression, Yuuki Yuuki paused for a moment before continuing, "If I can send them out, I can certainly throw you out too. It's a little troublesome, but it's not a problem for me."

“Even corruption, even those contaminations, I have ways to suppress them; it’s all a piece of cake.” Yuuki Yuen raised her arms, stretched languidly, and looked down between her raised hands: “The important thing is, are you willing?”

This question left Hanzawa Kuriko speechless again, and she clearly felt herself swallowing.

Clearly, Yuuki Yuki's offer was very tempting to her.

Do I want to?

If she could escape this situation, even escape the corruption, and return to everyone's side, it would be something Hanzawa Kuriko could never dream of.

"Long-awaited" is the perfect way to describe it.

But do I really want to?

Hanzawa Kuriko looked at Yuuki Yuuki, and Yuuki Yuuki was also looking at her. The two sat there silently, watching each other, waiting for someone to break the silence.

"Xiaoyuan, do you think I'm a bad person?" Hanzawa Kuriko finally spoke first, asking the same question she had just asked.

Whether she couldn't hold back or had some other plan, probably no one else could know for sure except her.

Although it was the same question, this time it was a little different. Sumireko Yumehara was not simply changing the subject when she repeated the question; she was genuinely seeking Yuki Eri's opinion.

In other words, she was genuinely curious, even though she shouldn't have asked such a question under the current circumstances. Yet, she stubbornly persisted in asking it, and continued to stare at Yuuki Yuki during her long silence, waiting for the answer.

Yuuki Yukino also sensed some other meaning in Hanzawa Kuriko's tone, pursed her lips and thought for a moment before answering.

"We are all corrupted magical girls. From the perspective of magical girls, and from the perspective of ordinary people, we are all bad people. But because we are all corrupted magical girls, we also understand what that power and that darkness are all about."

"So..." Hanzawa Kuriko, who had been waiting for a long time, was actually a little nervous.

Yuuki Yukino remained silent for a moment before speaking again:

"From the perspective of the vast majority of people, you are an absolute villain. From my perspective, you have also done many unforgivable things, that's a fact. As for good or bad, I'm too lazy to comment."

“You’re just like your sister in this respect,” Hanzawa Kuriko remarked.

Yuuki Yukino raised an eyebrow, a hint of pride in her expression: "Who can blame us for being sisters?"

“Yes, that’s what happens when you’re sisters.” Hanzawa Kuriko repeated what Yuuki Yuki had said.

Did she not know what to say?

No, she just didn't know how to start the conversation.

Suddenly, I snapped out of it all, suddenly remembered all the things that had happened to me, and suddenly realized what mistakes I had made in the past.

Those things that you didn't want to do, but did yourself, are undeniable facts no matter how you try to justify or cover them up.

Hanzawa Kuriko didn't want to explain anything. She just didn't know how to ask the questions she wanted to know in front of this girl sitting across from her, a girl in whom she could see countless familiar shadows. Given what she had done in the past and her current status, she didn't know how to ask the questions she wanted to know.

She had no idea how to handle the situation after revealing her true thoughts—that she wanted to end everything in the past—to this clever young girl.

“My sister is doing well. After that day, she found another job and never contacted the other band members. She has always been by my side, taking care of me as I grew up.”

Yuki Yui suddenly spoke up, as if she had seen through Hanzawa Kuriko's thoughts, before Hanzawa Kuriko could ask her anything, and began to speak on her own.

Moreover, what she said was indeed the question that Hanzawa Kuriko wanted to know, but didn't know how to bring it up.

"I don't know if my sister has any issues with you; she doesn't want to tell me. But at least when she talks about that band you two formed, there's always a hint of pride in her voice..."

"Although everything that followed started because of the band, I guess, just my guess, my sister never regretted forming the band."

As Yuuki Yukina spoke, she drew circles on the ground with her finger.

“I have never met the other two band members, and I can’t tell you how they are doing, but Ms. Minato is doing well. She runs a coffee shop on her own.”

Hanzawa Kuriko nodded, but never looked up again, only muttering, repeating the same words Yuki Yuki had said before: "Coffee shop."

In a corner of Hanzawa Kuriko's memory, the image of Minato Nana kneeling on the ground that night, clutching her sleeves, and crying out repeatedly still echoes.

"Didn't we say we'd open a coffee shop together? We're not going to form a band anymore, okay? We're not going to contact them anymore, okay? Just the two of us, leaving here, leaving Moonsea City, we're going somewhere else, just the two of us, living the life we ​​want, okay?"

It was so clear, yet so distant, and so close, as if it had happened just yesterday.

A coffee shop.

By the way, I've always thought that if I ever quit the band, I'd open a coffee shop.

If I had stopped back then, would I have been able to continue this unrealistic dream with Nana?

Despite knowing absolutely nothing about coffee and being completely clueless about business, Nana actually managed to open a successful coffee shop.

Hanzawa Kuriko sighed silently again, blinked hard, and moved her angry gaze away.

"The business is very casual, there are many customers, and the coffee is very good, but Ms. Minato has always been alone, and she has never mentioned you. I have no way to convey what Ms. Minato wants to say to you."

Yuuki Yukino's narration was not interrupted by Hanzawa Kuriko's repetition, since she was already nearing the end:

"If you have anything to say, go and say it to them in person. Whether they are willing to listen or not is their business. I can't control that."

Yuuki Eri's inclinations have been expressed quite clearly.

She was able to send Hanzawa Kuriko back, and she didn't plan to interfere after that unless Hanzawa Kuriko did something else.

But with Yuuki Yuki having regained her magic at that time, Hanzawa Kuriko couldn't do anything.

If it were just that crazy Hanzawa Kuriko, she could personally put an end to that part of her past.

However, the current Hanzawa Kuriko is different. Of course, she can end it herself, but she is not the only one who experienced that past.

I have no interest in, responsibility, or right to interfere in the affairs between my older sister, Nana Minato who takes care of me, and Hanzawa Kuriko herself.

Hanzawa Kuriko sat there like a statue, her mouth slightly open as she looked at Yuuki Yuuki.

"forget it."

Hanzawa Kuriko murmured to herself, speaking in a voice only she could hear, trying to console herself.

She was really tempted, truly tempted.

Just being able to speak to the people she had hurt in the past was something she had always dreamed of.

But... (The rest of the text appears to be a fragmented collection of characters and symbols, possibly from different sources.)

"Let's forget about it."

Hanzawa Kuriko raised her head and looked into the boundless darkness.

"I have nothing to say to anyone, no matter who it is."

Hanzawa Kuriko lowered her head again, staring at her toes, and stood up from the ground, supporting herself on the ground.

"I just want to put a period to what I've done."

As Hanzawa Kuriko spoke, she gently patted her pants.

"People aren't divided into good people or bad people. We're all just ordinary people. It's just that some people are liked and some people aren't."

As Hanzawa Kuriko spoke, she looked at Yuuki Yuuki.

"People who are liked don't necessarily do all good things. For example, I have so many fans, yet I did this. People who are disliked don't necessarily do bad things. For example, your sister, she thinks about the whole band, but she's always so bad at expressing herself, which makes people angry."

The magical radiance of Hanzawa Kuriko's transformation once again illuminated the entire space.

"Forget it, everyone makes mistakes, it's inevitable, but if you make too many mistakes or do things that go too far, you have to take responsibility."

Hanzawa Kuriko raised her battle axe and pointed it at Yuuki Yukino, who was sitting on the ground.

"I am a completely corrupted magical girl who has done countless terrible things. It's all my fault."

Hanzawa Kuriko watched as Yuuki Yuuki slowly rose to her feet, purple magic swirling around her and completely enveloping her body.

“You are also a corrupted magical girl. I don’t know what you’ve done, and you don’t need to answer me. Just keep it to yourself.”

Hanzawa Kuriko watched as Yuuki Yuuki closed the grimoire in her hand. The rising magic power made Yuuki Yuuki's transformed magical outfit look brand new, and the black and red shrine maiden clothes that were blown away by the magical energy flow slowly fell down.

"Anyway, anyway, after saying so much and rambling on for so long, I'm still a coward. I've lived for so long, but I still can't bear those responsibilities, so I can only run away. I even have to drag the sister of the guy I wronged the most down with me to send me on my final journey. I am indeed a coward, right?"

I'm just a coward.

　Because of his timidity, Ichizaki's father, Koujiro, dared not express himself.

Because of timidity, I dare not communicate.

Because of cowardice, one falls into darkness.

Because of cowardice, one tends to go to the other extreme.

Because of his cowardice, he did something irreversible in the very end.

I am a coward. This is not an excuse for my mistakes, but a genuine flaw.

At this moment, Hanzawa Kuriko finally accepted the complete self that she had never wanted to accept.

Only at this very last moment could Hanzawa Kuriko convince herself.