Regarding the fact that my best friend is a magical girl

I had never heard of such an arrangement before, and my feet felt a little unsteady.

“That’s the worst-case scenario. Your father committed an unforgivable crime. He betrayed humanity, betrayed all of us…including you, Seruno. Given Spica’s personality, she wouldn’t tell you until it actually happened, but I still hope you can prepare yourself for this worst-case scenario.”

My heart is beating too fast.

My head was throbbing with blood and I couldn't calm down at all.

Although the methods were dishonorable, Mother did wake up!

Is it necessary for Dad to "heroically sacrifice" at this point?

From a moral standpoint, Dad was indeed wrong.

But he shouldn't die yet; at least he should live to atone for his sins!

"Indeed, I have to go see him!"

I have to convince him.

"Aunt Rinki...please forgive me for taking the liberty of this. I'll trouble you to explain things to Miss Spica!"

"I'm going to get really yelled at."

"sorry!"

I then leaped over the railing, facing the wind, and jumped from the 73-story building.

I summoned the Ruby Wand, and using the properties of bubbles, I spread my thin wings to the sides and stretched out my limbs with all my might. I used the headwind to stop my fall and glided toward the medical facility in the distance.

A glider made of bubble wrap.

Inspired by Kagerou's battle attire.

At first, I couldn't quite grasp the glider's center of gravity, but thanks to the magical girl's superhuman physical coordination, maintaining balance in the air wasn't so difficult. In fact, by adjusting the weight and air permeability, I could control the flight angle and speed more flexibly.

It's like a flying squirrel, except I can fly farther and faster.

Before the wormhole even landed, I was already kneeling on one knee on the helipad on the top floor of the treatment facility. Surprisingly, the security personnel here hadn't left yet.

The wormhole above our heads is about to open.

Dad and the others are probably downstairs...

“Miss Seruno, Spica requests that you leave as soon as possible.”

The two special agents on duty even came to greet us.

I countered, "Then why didn't you leave?"

Even armed to the teeth, they were still no match for the witch.

"We must ensure that the apron is in a safe and readily available state, as it is also an important evacuation route."

"What about your own safety?"

“This is our duty, Miss Seruno.”

"Then let me go down. This is my duty as a magical girl, no... as a child."

The two special operations team members exchanged a glance.

I don't know what they could see through each other's helmets, which didn't reveal their interiors.

"...Then please at least bring this with you."

But one of the team members pulled out an earpiece walkie-talkie from behind his back.

So, does every liaison or staff member of the association carry an extra one of these?

"Thank you, then as a return gift..."

I waved my wand, casting a protective shield over them, which should at least allow them to survive the aftermath of the battle.

"This membrane is stronger than it looks and can protect you from a certain degree of harm."

The two of them even saluted me.

"Thank you so much, Miss Seruno!"

I've been sincerely thanked; how should I respond in this situation?

"Protecting everyone is also my duty. There's no need to thank me for this. If you encounter danger, please seek shelter immediately."

Following Miss Sirius's teachings, I maintained a natural smile throughout.

As an idol, I must leave them with a positive and kind impression.

"Miss Seruno..."

They stared at me, lost in thought.

Could it be that she was captivated by my smile?

What's behind you...?

Behind me?

Turning around, a red teleportation halo quietly unfolded.

Walking out was the disheveled old man, carrying in his arms... his mother, who had inexplicably fallen into a coma again.

Chapter 52 Magic? The Girl's Double Kick

(A few minutes ago)

(Albinocotyledon)

"Sirius, cut off her escape route!"

Ignoring all pretense of composure, I steadied the nearly collapsing Mermaid Witch and kicked the four clones of Orion behind her.

At the same time, Sirius's high-energy laser had blocked her retreat and was sweeping towards her.

It seemed dangerous, but before our attack could hit, Betelgeuse disintegrated its clones on the spot, turning into a wisp of green smoke and disappearing before my eyes.

The hunter's true form is always hiding "on the other side," and we're only dealing with her puppets. What's worse, these puppets can be taken back into the background at any time and put down again after the danger has passed... Why call her a hunter? She should be called a puppeteer.

However, my only goal was to get rid of her.

Sirius understood what I wanted to do, and the laser beams it unleashed formed a protective barrier of light around me and the Mermaid Witch.

"...Hey, are you still alive?"

Despite having her chest pierced and warm blood staining the ground beneath her, she was a witch, and even such a fatal wound wouldn't kill her instantly; at least her dilated pupils were still moving.

He was seriously injured and collapsed, but he was still alive.

But death is only a matter of time.

"To make a long story short, I was fortunate enough to have met Beiluo Shimen and even had the privilege of exchanging a few words with her. I know what kind of beings you witches are, and I also know that you and the former Kawanami Namie are not the same person... But if I want to save her, I must save you first. So I'm not asking for your opinion; these words are just an explanation. You must do your best to stay alive."

The Mermaid Witch didn't react; I don't know what she was thinking at that moment.

But since the witch possesses the memories and knowledge of a magical girl, it's impossible that she wouldn't understand what I'm saying.

I flicked the hourglass at my waist, and the inverted white sand began to fall, while the hot blood on the ground began to flow backward. Three minutes of "rewind" would be more than enough to save the Mermaid Witch, but it would consume a lot of my magic power.

In those few short seconds, Betelgeuse reappeared beside Seruno's father, holding a pistol, and repeatedly pulled the trigger at me.

However, she was unlucky; the power of her revolver was insufficient to penetrate the materialized light barrier. Sirius, on the other hand, still had the strength to deal with her, and the situation turned into a chase again.

The enclosed room is not a suitable place for Betelgeuse to perform its duties; there is no room for maneuver, and it is impossible to use large-scale weapons of mass destruction.

The Mermaid Witch's time was still rewinding. She stood up in an illogical posture, and her chest, which had been pierced, shredded, exposed, and mangled by daggers, was rapidly healing.

Betelgeuse clearly didn't care about one failure. She threw away her pistol, materialized several round grenades, pulled the pins, and threw them this way.

How can a lethal grenade be used in such a confined indoor space?

However, it was a smokescreen.

For a moment, apart from the small space inside the light barrier, the entire cell was shrouded in an impenetrable gray-white smoke.

It must be said, the smog-proof laser weapon is real; Sirius's usually invincible laser magic couldn't penetrate this excessively thick smog.

The time rewind for the Mermaid Witch's wounds is complete.

I didn't try to recall her memories, but she naturally hadn't forgotten being stabbed in the back by Betelgeuse. She looked terrified and touched her healed chest.

"why?"

Not only did she not attack me, she also took the initiative to talk to me.

So she can talk?

However, her voice was indeed unpleasant, and her serrated teeth looked creepy when she spoke.

I countered, "Why what? Why would I be targeted by the anti-rightist cadres?"

"...Why did you save me?"

"I've already explained the reason, and I don't intend to repeat it."

"The magical girl you know can't come back from outside; she has become a part of me."

"I know."

"That……"

“There must be a way to recover. Until then, you can’t be hurt. I’m not saving you, I’m saving our compatriots inside you.”

The exhaust fan in the cell started running at full speed, and Spica was watching this scene through the cell's surveillance camera.

"Miluno, top floor, they've gone out using teleportation magic!"

The previously interrupted communication was reconnected at this moment.

"I understand. What should we do with the Mermaid Witch?"

"Of course, he'll stay in the cell."

"Betelgeuse might come back to deal with her."

"The twins will protect her. You and Sirius go up first..."

So, were Warren and Haite also within this smokescreen?