CH 91

When Doppelganger-san informed me that, if possible, she wanted me to come to one of the tower apartments immediately after the special program was over, I had come to the front of the designated room.

By the way, my contact information was given to her by the Devil, and I would’ve been angry with her for giving it to her without permission, but I have been wanting to get in touch with her too, so I will forgive her for this one time.

As soon as I pressed the intercom, the front door opened and Doppelganger-san came out.

「Welcome, Sylph-chan.」

「Sorry for intruding.」

「I’m sorry for calling you out so suddenly.」

「No, I was hoping to have a meeting with you in person.」

「Is that so? Then, I’m glad.」

「Where is Ex–Magna-san?」

「She’s not here yet, but I’ve been in touch with her, so I’m sure she’ll be here shortly.」

The layout of the room I was shown was the same as the one assigned to me.

However, there is no other furniture in the room, although it is furnished. It doesn’t feel lived-in, nor does it look like it’s being used for storage.

「Refreshing, isn’t it? I’m about to retire, so I’m pulling out my personal stuff.」

As she scurried around the room, Doppelganger-san returned with a clear glass of barley tea and said so as if she had read my mind. Am I that easy to understand?

But still, retirement? I have no intention of remaining a Magical Girl until I turn 20, so I have never really thought about it, but of course there are Magical Girls who retire due to age issues.

「When are you actually planning to retire?」

「It’s the end of December. I’ve always been annoyed by people lumping Christmas presents and birthday presents together.」

「Huh, that’s… too bad, isn’t it?」

「Fufu, just kidding, just kidding.」

I didn’t really know what the joke was about, since I had never received a gift before, even though I had given one, but Doppelganger-san was chuckling contentedly to herself, so I let it slide without further reaction for the time being. Maybe it’s a story she have or something.

Leaving that aside, will Doppelganger-san retire around the end of December? Normally I wouldn’t be interested in other people’s retirement dates, and I don’t think I would have asked this question even socially, but it is good to know in advance because it means that when this person is gone, there will be no one to hold the reins of the Devil. It’s difficult to say if I can do anything with that information, but it will change my mind. After December, I need to be more vigilant against the Devil than ever before. Well, that is if this battle continues until then.

「Since it looks like Magna-chan’s going to take a little while, can we talk about something else for a minute before we talk about the competition?」

「…If you just want me to listen.」

「Yeah, for now, all you have to do is listen.」

Doppelganger-san cut me off by looking at the Magiphone screen as if to check something. I think Ex–Magna-san informed her that she would be late.

「Crosseau-chan, about the Thread Witch, I think Sylph-chan is probably misunderstood about her.」

「I’ve misunderstood her?」

「Yes, a misunderstanding. Sylph-chan, you have been called by Crosseau-chan once before to speak with her, haven’t you? I think Rabbitfoot-chan took you out on the way.」

「That’s correct.」

That was when the Devil revealed her true nature and threatened me. I wondered for a moment how Doppelganger-san knew about that, but I guess she simply heard it from the Devil. If that’s the case, then what she heard must’ve been a convenient story for the Devil. Does she really think she can claim that it was a misunderstanding after what she did? Doppelganger-san may not be malicious because he may be tricked by the Devil, but there is no way that a natural being could exist that would normally be mistaken for such a thing.

Just remembering that moment made me ill, and my voice was naturally cold and flat as I returned the phase.

「I’ve heard all of the stories. Believe it or not, and you may think it’s impossible, but that girl has no ill intentions. Really, it’s just that her interpersonal skills are catastrophic and she’s a mess, and she never had any intention of harming you or deceiving you or taking advantage of you.」

「I see. I thought for sure I was being threatened.」

「I knew it… I don’t she’ll be fine as it is… I’m retiring now, I thought it was time for her to learn to handle these things on her own, I really didn’t mean to interfere.」

「I understand. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.」

I would never believe such nonsense, though.

I am sure Doppelganger-san has never seen the true nature of that Devil. So no matter how much she tell me otherwise, no matter how much she appeal to me that I was mistaken, she was only eager to change my perception.

There is no point in discussing this. From the beginning, Doppelganger-san has been on the Devil’s side and I am her enemy. As long as both parties have no intention of changing their stance, it’s a waste of time no matter how much they listen and are listened to. So, I’ll just say that ostensibly I’m satisfied. Saying this will satisfy Doppelganger-san. I don’t intend to get along with Doppelganger-san, and it would be good if we could maintain a good relationship only during this competition, so I’ll let myself be mature about it.

「You’re quite honest in believing me when I tell you myself.」

「I’ve known Crosseau-san longer than Doppelganger-san, and I wasn’t that concerned about her.」

「Well, I hope you understand.」

If I act cold in front of the Devil again in the future, Doppelganger-san might say something, but I don’t plan to attend Tea Parties in the future anyway, unless I did something to her, I will rarely have a chance to meet the Devil, so it’s unlikely that I will reveal that I don’t believe in her at all. In three months, Doppelganger-san will be gone, and it’s enough to just get by for now.

After that, Doppelganger-san told me various episodes of the Devil being a nice person, but I wasn’t interested, so I wasn’t listening to her, when a high-pitched intercom tone rang.

It seems that Ex–Magna-san has arrived. I and Doppelganger-san, who had gone to the entrance to pick her up, came back side by side.

「Yahho, it’s been a while.」

「Hello.」

「You’re still cool as ever. You don’t reply to me often and Onee-chan missed you.」

「Things have changed. Please wait a little longer.」

She put her hand over her eyes, shimmying and crying falsely, and return that much in a nonchalant manner through Ex-Magna-san.

We talked about collaboration at the tea party the other day, but I haven’t been able to broach the subject yet because Elephant-san has gone to help Shadow-san and she is also busy with her personal life.

Until Elephant-san convinces Shadow-san to come back, this story is on hold for now. Well, even if we all became active together, I don’t think Shadow-san would want to appeal to us as good friends.

「I don’t know what you’re talking about, but let’s just get the Witch Cup meeting started. We can talk about it later.」

「Oh, one thing I wanted to ask you about that, do you still feel like you are aiming for the championship?」

「Isn’t that obvious? If we’re going to do this, we’re going to win.」

「Even you, Tyrant Sylph?」

「It’s a matter of course. We will definitely win.」

I don’t want to win, I have to win.

I don’t really know what the requirements are for MVP, and the surest way to get a sex change pill is to win.

「Hohoh, both of you seem to have high aspirations, I’m impressed.」

Ex–Magna-san is nodding her head with a scowl as she crosses her arms.

「…What are you trying to say?」

「No, of course I would like to win if I could, wouldn’t I? And the prize money is delicious. But, well, if you ask me if I want to win at absolutely any cost, it’s not like that! Is it okay as long as you enjoy it?」

「You’ve been offered a first prize in addition to the prize money from Earth, right? Isn’t that tempting?」

「Oh, I guess everyone is like that. It’s tempting, but you know what?」

I thought I was the only one who was told that if I won the championship or got MVP, I would get a sex change drug, but it seems that other Witches were told the same thing. Prizes seem to vary from Witch to Witch, but from what I’ve heard, in Ex–Magna-san’s case, even if she doesn’t get the prize at worst, it’s probably not a problem.

I don’t expect everyone on the team to feel the same way about the Witch Cup as I do, so I expected that there would be people like Doppelganger-san who just wanted to win, and people like Ex–Magna-san who just wanted to have fun.

I am not going to complain if they fight to win at the very least without losing on purpose or blatantly cutting corners.

「So what I’m trying to say is that I’m not that motivated right now. In such a state, I’m sure that I won’t be able to show a great performance even in the actual event. It’s not that I’m losing on purpose, it’s just that I’m not in the mood.」

「…I see.」

Ex–Magna-san returned Doppleganger-san’s words briefly with some implications and urges her to continue.

「So I need both of you to help me get motivated! Don’t worry, it’s not that hard!」

「I’ve been saying for a while now that I don’t do voice-over work.」

「Why not!?」

Ex–Magna-san responds to Doppelganger-san, who responds with a biting look.

I think something similar has happened many times before. Each time, Doppelganger-san has refused. So I guess she had an idea of what Ex–Magna-san would demand from this storyline.

「If Magna-chan isn’t in her best form, I will take that into consideration when making a plan, so you don’t have to worry. If you intentionally cut corners, I will punish you.」

「No—! Please do the voice-over! Sprite-san did it, aren’t she!?」

Ex–Magna-san lay on the ground and began to wriggle and waste away.

I often see this person at the supermarket. I wonder if she doesn’t have any pride.

「One place is another place, and my home is my home. Have some patience.」

「Okaa-san is so stingy!」

「Who’s your okaa-san? I’m not that old yet.」

「Che, you’re still stubborn as ever… What about you, Tyrant Sylph?」

「Heh?」

「Will Tyrant Sylph do it?」

I had been so taken aback by their familiar contrived exchange that I made a dumb sound when they suddenly changed the subject.

Is that what you normally ask me from the current flow of events?

「Doppleganger-san didn’t do it, isn’t she? It doesn’t matter if I’m the only one who does it.」

「No, it’s not! If Tyrant Sylph will do it for me, I’m already hyped up! I’m sure I’ll be in great shape to take on the Witch Cup!」

「…I doubt that.」

She had been lying down earlier, but when I didn’t deny it right away, she quickly got up, packed up, and started to argue forcefully. Is it true that you’re out of shape because you’re not motivated? Are you just saying random things?

「Sylph-chan, I’m sorry, but what that girl is saying is true. She’s a rather mood-sensitive, unstable Witch.」

「Yah-yah, you know me so well, don’t you, Doppelganger-san? See, Tyrant Sylph, you want to win, don’t you? I’m just going to record a little of your voice. And as I said before, I’ll give you a reward, okay?」

「…I think the other day you said something like you weren’t that attached, but looking at you now, I can’t imagine that’s very true.」

「That’s because when I have a chance, I do my best to grab it. I won’t force you to do it, but that doesn’t mean I’m reluctant to do it.」

If I am to take Doppelganger-san’s word for it, it means that Ex–Magna-san is likely to not give her all in the Witch Cup, even if she has no bad intentions. I still say that we will come up with a winning strategy, but that’s just the next best thing, and the best thing is of course for Ex–Magna-san to perform at her best.

For Doppelganger-san, who wants to win if she’s going to do it, that next best thing might be fine, but for me, who absolutely needs to win, I have to do whatever I can to make the path to victory more secure.

If that were the case, it would be embarrassing, but if that level of effort improves the odds of winning even a little, it is such a small price to pay.

「I understand. Regardless of whether we win or lose, if Ex–Magna-san is willing to give her all in the match, I will accept that condition.」

「Let’s do it! There’s no “no” after the fact, you know. I’ve put it all on paper so that it doesn’t become a matter of verbal agreement or “we said so and so”. I’m serious, I’m going to participate in the Witch Cup, Tyrant Sylph is going to help me with my project, and it just says something about voice guesses, and also about the video collaboration, and the feeling we talked about the other day. Look it over once and sign it.」

「…You’re very well prepared.」

「It would be a shame if you reconsider and decide not to do it anymore, wouldn’t it?」

In the first place, Ex–Magna-san herself asked me to do the voice-over because she didn’t think she would be able to participate in the event at her current level, it’s not unnatural for them to have these documents ready, though, she’s a Witch, but she has her own quirks…

I briefly looked it over and returned the signed copy, and Ex–Magna-san also signed it and split the paper in two. It looks like they were duplicates.

「Then keep this with you so we don’t lose it. Alright, I’m motivated now!」

「You’re a cash cow, aren’t you?」

「Look, Magna-chan, you’ve had your fill. Come on, let’s get started on the Witch Cup meeting.」

Doppelganger-san clapped her hands together as if to switch the air, then began to partition. Good grief, we’ve taken up a lot of extra time because of Ex–Magna-san.