The comments section all think I'm a really good person.

227. More ardent than hope, more profound than despair

"Miss Koizumi? Miss Koizumi!"

The call rang in my ears.

While Iroha Tamaki and Sayaka Miki were discussing what to do next, Saki Koizumi was lost in thought.

It wouldn't be entirely accurate to say that he was wandering in a trance.

Her gaze was unfocused. Although she wanted to listen carefully to the conversation between the two magical girls, Sayaka Miki and Iroha Tamaki, her mind was in turmoil and she couldn't calm down.

"..." Koizumi Saki lowered her long eyelashes slightly, pursed her lips, and seemed to be thinking about something else very important.

"Miss Koizumi? Miss Koizumi!"

Then, Sayaka Miki's voice woke her from her thoughts.

Saki Koizumi then looked in the direction of the sound, only to see Sayaka Miki's very worried light blue eyes.

The other person was very worried about her: "Are you alright? You look terrible..."

Miki Sayaka paused for a moment, intending to ask Koizumi Saki why she was in a bad mood, but before she could speak, she remembered something.

It must be because of the Kita Kirihara incident.

As a bonus character card who didn't spend over ten thousand worlds with Kita Kirihara, Miki Sayaka doesn't actually know much about him. Her acting just now, under Kita Kirihara's guidance, was rather stiff; anyone with a little attention could see through her poor acting.

But Saki Koizumi did not.

Saki Koizumi was in a daze, immersed in her own thoughts and sadness. Her emotions were so overwhelming that everyone around her could sense that something was wrong with her.

It was after meeting Kita Kirihara that Koizumi Saki began to act strangely.

Miki Sayaka didn't quite understand why Kita Kirihara was doing this, rubbing salt into Koizumi Saki's wounds so fiercely, it was as if lovers had turned into enemies.

In fact, given the current situation, Kita Kirihara and Ms. Koizumi in front of him can be considered adversaries.

But Sayaka Miki just couldn't understand it.

Is it really worth hurting someone like this just for acting, for the so-called show effect, or to win over the audience?

The time two people can spend together is always limited, so why not cherish it instead of causing such a mess?

Moreover, judging from the upcoming script, Ms. Koizumi will have to struggle for a while longer...

Sayaka Miki was puzzled and felt pity.

She's an idiot, but that doesn't stop her from seeing the problems Kita Kirihara is going through as an outsider to this world.

Kita Kirihara possessed a madness that was beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

To complete the final, most perfect script, one is even willing to give up one's life, soul, or even everything—that was the impression North Chessang gave her.

Originally, the script would have been adjusted to suit Koizumi Saki's tastes, but now, Kita Kirihara seems more fixated on the ending he's written, or perhaps his love for Koizumi Saki has gradually faded within the story, or maybe it's due to the change in body...

Kita Kirihara is becoming increasingly incomprehensible.

Unlike other inner demon character cards, Miki Sayaka is not considered another body of Kita Kirihara.

She was ultimately a normal person who depended on Homura Akemi's Silver Garden, only she was lent to Kita Kirihara by Homura Akemi.

She couldn't understand why love could involve mutual deception and hurt.

Sayaka Miki doesn't understand this feeling.

“…Miki,” Koizumi Saki said earnestly, “I want to ask you a question.”

"Huh?" Sayaka Miki panicked a little and quickly tried to cover it up, "If you want to ask about the Silver Garden, I can't tell you..."

“No, not that.” Koizumi Saki’s words were somewhat unexpected for Miki Sayaka.

The woman with blue eyes and black hair solemnly asked, "What is the mechanism by which Kyubey grants wishes?"

Saki Koizumi is an enforcer of this world, more sensitive to rules than others, and knows that power inevitably comes at a price.

Kyubey's wish seemed wonderful, but there was one thing that made Saki Koizumi feel uneasy.

Why did witches who weren't originally from this world appear after Kyubey arrived?

And witches appeared right after magical girls started appearing...

A guess formed in Saki Koizumi's mind.

She leaned forward slightly, her steel-blue eyes bringing them closer to Sayaka Miki.

"Are magical girls and witches... really just simple enemies?"

Sayaka Miki's expression changed.

..

"Are magical girls and witches... really just simple enemies?"

Saki Koizumi's voice came through Sayaka Miki, and Kita Kirihara's face showed a hint of relief upon hearing it.

Although Saki Koizumi often appears to be a complete airhead, she does have moments of sharp insight.

It's unclear whether this is due to the influence of reversing the god's name, or whether Saki had such thoughts all along.

Saki Koizumi astutely noticed the flaw that Kyubey had not mentioned in his promise to grant wishes.

This world inherently possesses an energy mechanism linked to emotions, and Koizumi Saki had previously become aware of some of this through Kita Kirihara's reminder.

Although the interference of world consciousness blocked Saki Koizumi's speculations about the audience outside the world, it did not prevent her subconscious from using this concept to think.

Emotions can be used as fuel, and fuel is the key to sustaining the world.

The system that Kyubey possesses, which transforms human emotions into energy, can, in a sense, also be used by this world.

Kita Kirihara picked up Kyubey's limp body, analyzing Kyubey's rules while lowering his eyes in thought.

At this point in time, Kyubey may have already spread, contracted with some magical girls, and stolen a lot of fuel.

Even Kita Kirihara cannot deny that Kyubey's mechanics have merit and commonalities in this world.

[What? You also want to become Kyubey, taking advantage of other people's despair?] Homura Akemi's voice echoed in my mind, sounding very wary.

Kita Kirihara shook his head: [I would never do something like that.]

Once that's done, Homura Akemi will probably immediately abandon this partnership.

However, she could easily exploit this mechanism to spread false information and make a contract with a qualified person before Cupid could.

[What is the price of the contract...?]

"[In your words—more ardent than hope, more profound than despair—that emotion called love," Kita Kirihara said slowly.

Passionate and profound love is more inexhaustible than despair.

228. 失踪

Recently, Saki Nana has encountered some minor troubles in her life.

Some viewers may have forgotten about the existence of Saki Nana, but Kita Kirihara doesn't mind helping everyone review the previous events:

Anti-Saki Nana is a member of the National Team and is an autistic child who is passionate about rhythm games.

Recently, autistic children have encountered considerable problems.

Social aspects.

After Koizumi Saki was overthrown and Aijo Karen covered Kita Kirihara's escape, Saki Nanami never saw Aijo Karen and Kita Kirihara again.

The responsibility that should have been taken care of by these two, who were not in a state of mental confusion, somehow fell on the shoulders of Saki Nana.

Actually, Nana has figured out what happened.

At this National Heroes High School, Saki Nana, who suffers from severe social anxiety and anti-discrimination, is actually only close to Shiraki Rin.

After Shiraki Rin barged into her room in a daze last time, causing her to faint on the spot due to stress, she gradually lost her guard against Shiraki Rin, this silly guy, whether it was due to desensitization treatment or something else.

Saki Nana's social anxiety stems from the fact that after awakening her abilities, she became overly sensitive to other people's gazes, always feeling that there was something subtle in their eyes.

She was extremely sensitive to other people's opinions, to the point of being pathological. She would feel uncomfortable for half a day if someone glanced at her for no reason.

But Shiraki Rin is different.

This classmate, who lost his mind due to misfortune, often resembled a puppy with wet eyes, rather than a human being capable of speculation, slander, or contempt for others.

Saki Nana loves animals and enjoys being with pure-hearted people.

Although Shiraki Rin's pure thoughts are largely due to mental issues, Saki Nana is actually quite happy to play with Shiraki Rin.

With Kita Kirihara and Aijo Karen both dropping out of school, and Saki Kamina Koizumi, who was originally supposed to be in charge of Shiraki Rin, also in poor condition and unable to take care of Shiraki Rin, Shiraki Rin was actually to be sent to a sanatorium.

However, Saki Nana was somewhat reluctant to part with her friend, whom she rarely had the chance to play with, so she took on the task of taking care of Shiraki Rin herself.

Despite Saki Nana's concept of "playing," most of the time Shiraki Rin would come to her room and quietly sit next to her watching her play rhythm games. They didn't even need to share headphones; Shiraki Rin could watch intently for an entire afternoon.

As a result, she has recently encountered a lot of trouble.

Taking care of a mentally unstable classmate with slippery abilities. Although Shiraki Rin is gentle and won't hit or destroy things like a demented old man, it's enough to give Haki Saki Nana a headache.

She even went to the principal's office to discuss with the current principal, Ms. Shirataka, in order to gain the right to take care of Shiraki Rin... Just thinking about it makes her feel like she was about to faint from suffocation.

Saki Nana didn't have much experience taking care of others, but she had lived alone for a long time, so her life skills were not a problem, and she was able to take care of Shiraki Rin.

However, it becomes a real headache when they each have their own internship assignments.

Shiraki Rin is unable to communicate with others on her own. Although she has been recuperating well at the National University recently and has gradually regained some of her senses, she has become somewhat difficult to deal with.

Most of the time, Saki Nana had to follow behind Shiraki Rin, who was a bit of a scatterbrain, to prevent her from forgetting her mission while chasing after new and interesting things, or from running off to strange places.

The same goes for today.

Saki Nana couldn't find Shiraki Rin's location.

..

In the shadows of the street corner, a sporty blonde girl with pointed ears huddled as small as possible behind a trash can.

She was sweating profusely as she pondered her next course of action.

Strange... Where did Rin go?