One-way traffic

"I bet it's a very pretty princess dress, right? Um, Ms. Asami's outfit was already quite gorgeous, so if I think about it that way, Ms. Hatsune's outfit might be even more gorgeous."

"That's true, after all, Hatsune Miku fits everything perfectly."

"Ah~ what a scene that leaves one with endless imagination! I hope I'll have the chance to witness it someday!"

Hatsune Miku was somewhat taken aback by the two girls' words.

no way.

Ultimately, she wasn't a magical girl at all; at most, she just had some similarities in terms of power and magic.

The reason I say that is simply because Mami Tomoe unilaterally considers her a magical girl.

However, Hatsune Miku did not expose this matter, because if she were to explain that her power was not that of a magical girl, she would have to explain a lot of troublesome things. She also couldn't tell these people about the existence of a system or something similar, and then she would have to make up a lot of non-existent content, which was too troublesome. It was better to just go along with it.

However, it seems that even Kyubey didn't reveal that it wasn't a magical girl, even though it was the one who could make contracts with magical girls... Why is that?

Despite these complex thoughts, she had to face the expectations and hopes of the two middle school girls.

In the end, all that could be shown on the face of this idol-type girl was a slightly awkward smile.

then.

After they left the floor, another figure came into their view.

"—Huh? A foreigner?"

"Eh? Where?"

"It's over there, look, Sayaka..."

"Wow! It really is! It's a white-haired foreigner! But—is it a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know, I just can't seem to figure it out..."

Following the gaze of the two girls, one could see a pure white figure standing in front of the streetlight in front of Mami Tomoe's apartment.

The white winter coat, worn only in winter, had dark lines all over it. Even the shoes and pants were the same color. Not only that, but the head was completely white, like a lotus rising from the mud, untouched by its surroundings.

Although the scarlet eyes appear to be a dark color, they seem to possess an unusual beauty, as clear and sparkling as gemstones.

The other person had one hand in their pocket and what appeared to be a coffee can in their other hand.

"Ah! That foreigner is looking this way!"

"No way... could it be that they want to ask us for directions?"

Thinking about it made me a little excited.

Sayaka Miki and Madoka Kaname were immediately excited. Although they had seen many foreigners, it was mostly on TV and mobile phones. They had never actually met a foreigner, let alone talked to one.

The person with white hair, whose gender was completely indistinguishable, looked in their direction under their expectant gazes.

So, he really meant he wanted to ask for directions, right?

"Hatsune!"

It was an incredibly magnetic and deep voice.

Slightly annoyed, the white-haired man widened his eyes and shouted in their direction.

--What?

The two girls standing to the side froze on the spot.

Hatsune Miku paused slightly and looked over with some surprise.

"Huh? Is it...is it Yifang?"

"Who do you think you are? You stupid young lady."

The first one, standing at the top of the seven monsters, stared wide-eyed and walked directly in front of the girl.

"Where have you been all day?!"

"No, I didn't go out to play! I actually gathered a lot of information and even met the person you've been wanting to see all day yesterday!"

"I've already seen that black-haired guy, there's no need for that anymore."

"Huh...? Is that so?"

"Tsk...what a hassle."

A person with white hair and red eyes, judging from that deep voice—is probably male?

This person is currently talking to Hatsune Miku in a very unique tone, and Hatsune Miku doesn't seem to mind the somewhat impolite way he addresses her.

This scene completely stunned the two girls standing nearby.

"Well, that..."

They blinked, and it took them a while to come to their senses.

"Excuse me...aren't you a foreigner?"

"...What nationality do you think I am?"

The white-haired, red-eyed man turned his head directly in their direction, and the sharp aura he naturally exuded made the two girls feel somewhat unapproachable; he possessed a very sharp temperament.

Moreover, the other party was speaking Japanese.

That is to say.

"—Wow, are there really Japanese people with white hair and red eyes like in anime?!"

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After a while, while walking and talking, the four of them—no, if we include Accelerator, it's a group of four.

Together they walked across the road, facing the gradually darkening sky.

"So, this means that this is the person who lives with Hatsune Miku?"

"Living together..."

These two girls, who were not even fifteen years old, had never even considered such a thing.

Thanks to Hatsune Miku's words, they finally understood the identity of the genderless being with white hair, red eyes, and an unusual aura.

Being able to live with a beautiful sixteen-year-old girl who seems to have a somewhat masculine identity.

The nature of their relationship is self-evident.

"That, that couldn't be Hatsune Miku's boyfriend—"

"Sayaka! No, don't say it so bluntly!"

Kaname Madoka quickly interrupted her, covering her mouth with her hand, which caused Miki Sayaka to struggle incessantly.

Hatsune Miku blushed slightly, but said nothing.

"Um, Yifang..."

"You care about what those kids say? You must be living a very tiring life."

In contrast, Accelerator on the other side walked along his path with a calm expression.

"More importantly, how did you end up getting involved with these two kids?"

"I met them on my way to find Mami, and it seems that these two children also have a lot to do with magical girls."

She then quietly recounted to Accelerator what had happened.

"...Kaname Madoka?"

"Huh? Do you know them?"

"It's just some information I gleaned from a few people, nothing serious."

He continued to ask Hatsune Miku questions.

"That guy named Kyubey is determined to target those two brats no matter what, and wants to turn them into magical girls, right?"

"Yes... According to Kyubey himself, they are very talented and all of them are good candidates to become magical girls."

"A magical girl?"

Accelerator turned his gaze to Hatsune Miku on the side.

He couldn't help but think about what Homura Akemi had told him before.

"Um, why are you suddenly looking at me like that...?"

"There's nothing special, it's just that one thing has become clear."

Combining what Homura Akemi said, what Kyubey said, and the information Hatsune Miku actually gathered, he was able to summarize what he basically needed to do now.

Although the purpose is still not very clear, it is at least much better than doing nothing and just standing around doing nothing.

"To complete the system's mission, we must investigate around the points of Homura Akemi and magical girls. Homura Akemi's goal is to prevent Madoka Kaname from becoming a magical girl, while Kyubey's goal is the complete opposite."

This puts all the blame on one person.

That is, Madoka Kaname.

"Should we pay attention to Madoka's wishes no matter what...?"

"That's basically it. Although we don't know exactly why those two guys are targeting Kaname Madoka, we can at least be sure that if we want the mission to continue, we have to focus our attention on Kaname Madoka."

Although the clues given to them in the mission were about Homura Akemi, Homura's focus was actually on Madoka Kaname, the Kyubey closely associated with magical girls, whose goal was also to make Madoka Kaname a magical girl.

This indirectly points out that Madoka Kaname is the key figure in all of this.

"Excuse me, what are you talking about?"

Madoka Kaname turned her head and blinked in confusion.

"I have a feeling... I think I just heard my name called...?"

"No way, Madoka, you have no idea what Hatsune Miku and that gentleman were talking about."

Sayaka Miki pulled her over immediately.

"Huh? What are you discussing?"

"That's it, that one!"

Sayaka Miki gave a playful look and whispered in her ear.

"You need to think carefully about topics related to adults. What would happen if a sixteen-year-old girl and a boy of the same age—well, anyway, I guess—lived together in the same room?"

"Wh-what...?"

"Hehe, of course it is—!!"

Before she could finish speaking, she felt someone grab the back of her collar.

Then, a whooshing sound exploded right next to my ears.

Whoosh—!! A car flashed past her from behind, and Accelerator grabbed Sayaka Miki by the back of her collar and pulled her to his side.

"Whoa—!! That scared me to death…!"

"You better watch where you're going, kid."

As a result, Madoka Kaname had absolutely no way of knowing what Sayaka Miki was going to say next.

This issue became a knot in her heart.

What will happen when a sixteen-year-old girl and a boy of the same age live in the same house?

"Alright, based on what you said before, this should be your way home, right?"

"Yes, um, are we parting ways here?"

"There's nothing we can do, because the path we need to take is the other way around."

With a gentle smile, Hatsune Miku and Accelerator walked together to the other side of the road.

She waved goodbye to the two girls in front of her.

"I think we'll see each other quite a few times after this. See you later!"

"Okay, okay!"

And so, the group went their separate ways.

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