CH 11

Anyone would have a hard time figuring out what to do if they were suddenly handed a pile of cash.

I can’t just bring such a large amount of money to a bank, if they asked me how I got it, I won’t be able to answer. ‘For now, just put it in your cellphone kyu~’, with that all the problems disappeared.

No I mean, I was told that I should just press it against my phone, and when I tried it, I was surprised that it disappeared just like the magic stone. I thought that won’t it damage the money, but I decided to settle it with “because it’s magic”. It seems that you can take it out later, so fantasy is the best.

“Ah, come to think of it, it’s gone…”

While cooling my head in the shower, I looked at my reflection in the mirror.

Her determined eyes, which were full of her confidence, even though her eyelids is sleepy because of fatigue, she still stares back at me.

Her breasts are a little bit too large for a young girl, and though I didn’t really pay attention to them, when I become conscious of it, I can feel their weight.

And as I look downwards from there, a vague feeling of loneliness and a sense of loss filled me.

This might be how people feel when they lose the partners they have had since birth.

With a deep sigh, I cleanse my body as if to wash away all the difficult and complicated thoughts.

“The hair is so long…”

Is my first impression when I put shampoo on my hands and started washing my wet hair.

When it’s dry, each strand is in order, it looked cool like wings fluttering in the wind, but as soon as I shower it with water to wash it, it becomes annoying.

You can’t see the front, it sticks to your skin, and above all, it’s heavy.

I found out for the first time that when hair absorbs water, it can become so heavy.

I don’t have to worry about it when I’m just moving around, but when fighting a “Wanderer”, long hair like this would definitely get in the way. Well, even so, I have no intention of cutting it short.

Because it suits me, and it’s cute.

If you look in the mirror, it should be obvious.

Her eyes are reminiscent of red bellflowers1, and her purple-black hair.

The long hair would definitely suit the mysterious atmosphere.

“So bothersome···”

However, no matter how many times I complained, things that need time and effort will still need time and effort.

I also don’t know how to take care of it, and it also takes a long time.

And being fashionable must be hard work, if it’s like this I wonder if I’ll be able to live my life as a young girl from now on.

After showering my head with hot water, and washing off the bubbles, I soak in the bathtub.

I looked back on today while listening to the sound of overflowing water, which was less than usual due to a decrease in my weight and volume.

I became the hero I have always longed for.

Destroying evil, and accomplishing justice1.

Well, in the process, my body was changed, like my breasts and hair that are floating in the hot water now, but that’s also okay.

Since it’s the start of a new life as a hero, it’s good to have a fresh start. Though I never expected such a huge change.

But even if my job is to destroy evil, that alone would not be enough.

There are as many justice as there are people, and there will be times when I clash with that justice.

When I wanted to be a hero, I thought of it more simply and carefree, but I guess, your feelings will change when you actually experienced it.

Well, most of it is because I don’t want to be hated by other magical girls.

What’s sadder than having to fight with fellow allies of justice?

No, it’s a human relationship, so I guess that’s possible, but I guess I was being naive.

I will need to prepare my heart, for the time when justice clashes with each other.

Prepared to stick to my own justice.

“Ah, no, no.”

I’m taking a bath to stop thinking, if it’s like this then it’s not a rest.

Anyway, it’s not like I’m smart, and I also don’t want to think about difficult things.

Since even someone like me has the aptitude to be a hero, then I’m sure it will work out.

Excuses and justification are important. there’s still a long way to go, so don’t worry about it.

“Splash!”

Children’s bodies don’t need these idle thoughts. As if reverting back to a childlike mind I sink my head into the bathtub that feels spacious thanks to my now smaller body.

“What the hell are you doing kyu~…”

“Mokyu, humans are creatures that will want to dive if there is a pool of water that’s bigger than their own body.”

“I don’t care if you get dizzy because of it kyu~. Although a magical girl’s body is sturdy, before you transformed it’s not all that powerful kyu~. If you put too much trust in it, you will regret it kyu~.”

“Sorry”

I tried to see how long I could hold my breath underwater, and although I didn’t time it, I felt like I could do it forever, then before I knew it, I was floating in the bathroom.

Even though Mokyu says that it’s not that powerful before transformed, it already goes beyond what humanity is capable of.

Or rather, if it’s like that before the transformation, what will happen during the transformation? Will I no longer need oxygen?

“I’ll tell you first, but as long as a magical girl has magic powers, her bodily function will not be hindered kyu~. Of course, she also doesn’t even need to breathe. kyu~”

“How do you know what I’m thinking? Are you actually an Esper?”

“At least I want you to say that it’s a wizard kyu~. The way Roze thinks is childish, so it’s pretty easy to understand kyu~.”

“No way. I’m originally an adult man, you know?”

“You were childish from the beginning kyu~.”

Is that so?

The figure wrapped in unattractive underwear and baggy sleepwear (that I don’t remember buying) definitely belongs to a child, but I never thought I would be told that even my mind is childish.

“Roze, what’s wrong with your bra kyu~? It won’t lose its shape, but I think you should wear your underwear properly kyu~.”

“No, it’s just I don’t know how to wear it.”

When I was turned into a little girl, before I knew it I was already wearing a bra, commonly known as a brassiere.

The undergarments which were supposed to be worn on the chest were irrelevant for men, but now that I have become a woman, it becomes a formidable enemy that cannot be avoided.

However, I don’t know how to put it on.

I mean, since I was born I’ve never touched it and of course, I’ve never had a girlfriend.

While clothing is a familiar item, In fact, it is nothing but an unknown thing, now that I have become a girl, I realized just how high of a hurdle it is.

While I was feeling tense as if I was facing “Wanderer”, the action I choose was to escape.

The best thing to do in an unwinnable fight is to retreat.

Averting your eyes from an enemy you can’t win is also a form of courage.

“You can’t run away forever kyu~. Or rather, it’s something you wear every day, so it’s easier to give up early kyu~. There’s no point in procrastinating kyu~.”

“No, I mean it’s embarrassing.”

“What are you saying now kyu!? You have seen yourself naked when you took a bath kyu! It’s hard to say that you’re a hero being this timid just by putting on your underwear kyu~! ”

“Looking at yourself naked and putting on underwear is different.”

“Mokyu doesn’t really understand that feeling kyu…”

Even when I wrapped myself in a blanket and is getting ready to go to sleep, Mokyu continues to corner me.

Curse you cowardly steamed bun. Don’t think I’ll give in just because you played the hero card.

Justice doesn’t listen to the evil’s word.

“I’ll do it later, someday.”

“Mokyu knows kyu…That’s the words of a human who won’t actually do it kyu…”

How rude. If there is a chance, I will do it. Never doubt a hero’s words.

――――――――

After the monster called “Wanderer” was observed, the country began working on a new urban area called a development zone in a hurry. The country purchased or sometimes support the land that was originally there, the land that gradually changed for the purpose of monster extermination, has the names changed to, A – D Ward in the West, E – H Wards in the North Ward, I – L Wards in the South, and M – P Wards in the East. The distorted city composed of the original urban area and the new buildings, despite being shaken by the rapid changes, continue to respond to and deal with the threats that appeared in the world. In the center of the development zone, there is a large-scale off-limits area called a special zone. Although the place surrounded by skyscrapers uses a considerable amount of land, it is unclear what is going on there, people in security uniforms guard the area round the clock.

It’s clearly an unusual place, but after it continues for a few months, it becomes a common sight, and now the special zone is rumored to be a special place that only elite civil servants can enter.

In one of the buildings in the special zone, in a building that is clearly different in size from the others, there is a room with a sign that says “Magical Girl Committee Headquarters”.

“Director Iida. May I have a moment?”

“What are you doing at this hour, Sawada? isn’t it already time to switch with the team on the night shift?”

In the large room, there was a man working on a computer and a woman talking to him.

Iida Goro, a man who is about to turn 50 this year, due to the busyness of duties that come with the recent series of troubles was racking his head and is resting his eyes.

Being pestered without a break from above to plan a countermeasure and execute it and constantly being complained to from below.

It’s a fairly large department, but although he holds the top position within the department, he’s actually just a middle manager.

“I thought so too, but problems came up one after another, and it became impossible to do that.”

“Are you talking about troubles!? Please give me a break already. We’re already short-staffed as it is, there’s really nothing more we can do! ! ”

A special zone was created to deal with the monster “Wanderer” that suddenly appeared, at its core, is the Ministry of Monster Countermeasure. Assigned to a new ministry that has not yet been officially opened to the public, and before she knew it she was sent to a department called the “Magical Girl Committee” that was suddenly created within the ministry. Without a manual, and in an environment where there are no seniors who can teach her kindly and politely, she spends her days.

Naturally, There is no way for it to function properly, in such a fumbling state, in an environment of labor shortage, troubles that keep coming. The worst vicious cycle, and lack of experience, repeated.

“Even if you say that the roubles won’t wait! First of all, it’s strange that I, a new employee, is the chief! Please apply for an increase in staff!”

“I apply for it every day! However, everywhere in this newly created Ministry of Monster Countermeasures are all understaffed. Even if we try to replenish our personnel from the other provinces, there is a risk of monster damage, so we can’t move carelessly is what they said.”

It’s obvious that there was a shortage of manpower, the moment the position after the Magical Girl Committee’s chef, is not the vice-chief or section manager but the staff.

However, this is also due to the sudden appearance and disappearance of the “Wanderer”. From the trend, it has been found that it occurs more in urban areas where people are densely populated, but even so, there is no guarantee that it will not appear in the remote countryside. Countermeasures are the same everywhere it’s indispensable, and it goes without saying there is not enough manpower.

“More importantly, what kind of trouble happened this time? If it’s complaints from the magical girls then I won’t listen to it2.”

“Don’t worry. This is a report from the ‘Chairman’-chan.”

“Hmm, with that preface, I become more scared about what kind of trouble is it that, that serious chairman reported. So what is the content? I’ve already prepared myself, so don’t be shy and just say it.”

“Yes. The appearance of “Wanderer” was confirmed near C-ward block 4. It seems that the magical girl Sapphire who was nearby was dispatched to subdue it, but the ‘Wanderer’ had already been subjugated by the time she arrived. Sapphire, who was suspicious because there was no record of the dispatch of other magical girls, discovered a magical girl that she has never seen nearby. Feeling suspicious, she questioned which department to which she belonged but it seems the other side she only gave her name and fled. It seems the girl introduce herself as “Black Rose”, we checked the Magical Girl List but didn’t see such a name anywhere. She’s probably a magical girl who doesn’t belong to any organization.”

Sawada displayed a magical girl list while operating the tablet in her hand.

Magical girls from all over the world are recorded in this list, and information such as which organization they belong to, what kind of magic they can use, etc., is managed by countries with cooperative relationships.

In other words, a magical girl who is not on this list is inevitably a dangerous person belonging to another country that’s not in cooperative relationships, or a magical girl who does not belong to any organization.

“Have you checked the appearance? There are many children of that age who like play pranks. ‘Actually, I just lied about my name’, isn’t something impossible.”

“Of course I did. According to the chairman, She’s dyed in black, enough to blend in with the darkness, and it seems only her purple eyes shining alluring. I was able to confirm a few children with black hair and purple eyes on the list, but I couldn’t confirm anything since her whole body was black. It’s possible she missed the other colors because she was dark, but first of all, she’s without a doubt a magical girl that’s not on the list.”

“Haa… Can anyone please tell me that it was actually a prank? If you confess now I’ll forgive you with just my fist…”

“Please don’t try to escape from reality. It has been expected that eventually, some children who don’t want to join the committee would appear. It’s just that the prediction has become a reality. “

“I’ll do it soon. Someday.”

“That’s the word of a person who won’t actually do it. Weren’t you just thinking about some countermeasures before right?”

“Even if I think about it, if we don’t have enough people to execute it, then there’s nothing you can do about it. Even though we’re looking for where the child is, the human-wave tactics can’t even be used. And it’s difficult to ask the magical girls to do it.”

“…should we just do something about it in the future?”

The Magical Girl Committee of the Ministry of Monster Countermeasures has been placed as an exception to the concept of regular hours. Will a hero appear among these people suffering from a labor shortage?