Regarding the fact that my best friend is a magical girl

"Have you made up your mind so quickly?"

"A short pain is worse than a long one; I'll never feel at ease until I get to the bottom of things."

"Wow~"

Miss Lu'er smiled at me meaningfully, pressed the elevator button, and then changed the subject.

"Speaking of which, Miss Seruno, do you know why the Association appointed you as Miss Yangyan's substitute? My sister probably didn't tell you, did she?"

"No, isn't it because of my father's status?"

"You're so insecure!"

Miss Lulu shook her head.

"During the afternoon's battle, you still managed to analyze the 'Lava' ability mechanism even when your life was threatened. It's remarkable that you were able to keep thinking amidst fear. You have the qualities of a warrior, and the association happens to have a Star Crystal that matches you... However, Chairman Sun has not yet made any statement regarding your becoming a magical girl. He has neither supported nor opposed it."

Mentioning my father stirred up some discomfort within me, so I interrupted Miss Lulu.

“I know, he no longer cares about me.”

If my father still hates me, then so be it.

But in his heart, he didn't even hate me.

I'm just a burden who needs regular payments, and even that step is done by my assistant.

"Serno".

I looked up and saw that Miss Lulu had already stepped into the elevator and was even holding the elevator door open for me.

"I don't know what happened between you and your son, but I know Chairman Sun isn't the kind of person who's indifferent to family ties!"

Unlike the crowdedness of a regular hospital, the magical girl treatment facility could not possibly have many patients, and there were only Miss Lulu and me in the elevator going up.

Looking at the mirror in the elevator, at my unfamiliar reflection, I hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"...So, Miss Lu'er, what kind of person do you think my father is?"

"Chairman Sun? He's a great man."

They actually used the word "great"...

That's a really high compliment.

"As an international organization, it is able to extricate itself from the political quagmire of various countries, support magical girls around the world as a neutral organization, and has sufficient funds for operation. All of this is due to your father's efforts. He has made unimaginable efforts to help magical girls, but no one is perfect... I think he was just too busy, so he neglected to care about you."

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

"No, you may have misunderstood. Although my relationship with my father is cold, I have never resented him. My father just can't forgive me."

"Excuse me, but did you do anything to hurt him?"

Sigh, would you usually ask for details at this point?

I scratched my cheek and replied, "...It's similar to this time."

Fortunately, the elevator arrived at the floor, stopped, and the doors opened just in time.

"Take me to see Miss Yangyan first."

"Huh? Is it some unspeakable past event?"

Miss Lulu may have a cheerful personality, but she seems to be a little bad at reading people's expressions.

"It's a family matter that I don't really want to talk about."

"Sorry, sorry, please follow me. The wards here are all private suites, and they're super spacious!"

Most magical girls operate in secret, at most registering their identities with the association. In real life, no one knows who they are, and magical girls keep their identities secret from each other. Therefore, two magical girls are not arranged to share a ward, giving patients ample privacy.

Ding-dong-

Lu'er rang the doorbell in front of Miss Yangyan's ward.

"The door isn't locked! Do you really think I can get out of bed and open the door for you like this? Come in!"

Miss Kagerou's noisy voice came through the intercom on the door.

This ward has really advanced facilities; I'm almost tempted to check it out myself.

"Then I'll take my leave."

Miss Lulu greeted me casually, and I replied, "Excuse me, Miss Yangyan."

"Don't be so polite, Seruno, right? Your debut battle was pretty good, but it also exposed a lot of problems. I also have many questions about your abilities. If you don't mind the time, you can stay here tonight."

She speaks in a carefree and straightforward manner, but without the explosive temperament she has during the day. She is covered in bandages and plaster casts, her body riddled with internal injuries and fractures from the battle with "Lava".

This made me feel even more guilty.

"Um, I also have something I want to tell you..."

I gave Miss Lulu a wink.

But the latter just winked at me, like a turtle staring at a green bean.

I wanted to ask her to leave first, but she didn't understand what I meant at all.

This person is completely incompatible with being kind and understanding. Is it okay for her to be a liaison for magical girls?

"Miss Lu'er, may I speak with Miss Yangyan alone?"

"...Oh? Oh! You two can chat as you please. I'll wait outside. Just call me if you need anything!"

She then realized what was happening and pushed the door open to leave.

Yang Yan asked, "Is it something that Lu'er can't know?"

"Miss Yangyan, I would like to ask you to accept my apology."

"Huh? Why are you apologizing to me?"

"Because of my true identity..."

I expelled the star crystal from my chest.

Chapter Fifteen: Revealing One's Identity

(Sun Yao)

I deactivated my transformation.

In just one second, Miss Yangyan's expression shifted from surprise to disdain.

"Huh? How can someone like you become a magical girl? Is that star crystal blind?"

As expected, she launched into a tirade of abuse. If I hadn't been wrapped up in bandages like a dumpling, she probably would have jumped up and whipped my buttocks.

"Um, I'm really happy to be a magical girl."

I spoke very softly, but Ms. Kagerou has very sensitive hearing.

"I didn't ask for your opinion! And of course you're happy! A fat otaku becoming a magical girl, isn't that like a toad turning into a swan?"

“I will fill the void you leave behind until you are discharged from the hospital.”

"What? You expect me to thank you?"

She was quite unhappy with me, and she seemed to find something to criticize me with every single sentence she said...

But it's only natural. If it weren't for saving me, she wouldn't have been lying here so badly injured for a month, unable to move.

I should indeed bear this resentment.

I lowered my head.

"I'm sorry, Miss Yangyan, whatever you ask for, I will fulfill it... I'm so sorry..."

But what else can I do besides apologize?

"Huh? Any requests? Then transform first."

Ms. Kagerou made a request, and I resonated with the Star Crystal once more, transforming back into the magical girl Seruno.

"Come here and let me take a closer look."

With her only remaining mobile right hand, she pointed to the soft chair beside the bed.

I sat down with my head down, feeling nervous and uneasy, my palms sweating as I gripped the wand.

"Hmph, not bad looking, but your contents are a bit lacking... You fat otaku, you must have done *that* kind of thing in front of the mirror, right? Disgusting!"

Even after I transformed, she continued to berate me, but I didn't have the confidence to refute her, since I did indeed take a shower in Ye Zi's bathroom.

Seeing that I didn't speak, she ordered again, "Do you have any civilian clothes? If so, remove your battle armor."

"……some."

I put the elaborately decorated pink dress back into Star Crystal and naturally changed into the blue dress that Ye Zi had picked out for me.

The Star Crystal can store clothing, even male clothing, and can instantly change clothes when removing battle armor, making it a very convenient feature for magical girls who need to hide their identities.

"You bought women's clothes so quickly? You really are a pervert!"

"No, this belongs to my friend..."

"How can a fat nerd like you meet girls?"

"No, he's my boyfriend."

"You became a magical girl and already have a boyfriend after just one afternoon! What kind of bitch are you?"

I'm so tired. Talking to Ms. Kagerou is exhausting, but I have to explain.

"So it's not a boyfriend, it's a male friend dressed as a woman. Um... he didn't do it willingly, there are unavoidable reasons behind it."

It was too late when she realized she had said the wrong thing, and the disdain in Miss Yangyan's eyes deepened.

"What reason could possibly make a man wear women's clothes! It's true what they say, perverted friends are perverted too... Seriously, you guys didn't actually go too far with that, did you?"

"That one hasn't been done yet..."

"Oh, you know which one I'm talking about?"

"Not...that, is it?"