CH 16

Late at night, I was working part-time at a convenience store.

I was so engrossed in looking at the special feature about the magical girl in the newspaper with a smile on my face, that I didn’t notice the shadow approaching in front of me.

When I raised my head and looked forward, the girl who had been reading the newspaper in the corner of the store earlier was looking at me from behind the counter.

She has long hair that extends down to her waist and is tied on both sides with a ribbon just above her ears. Her lips are puckered and there are dark circles under her droopy eyes.

Even though I’m still at work, I ended up become engrossed with the newspaper.

What a blunder, to think I didn’t notice the customer even though she’s right in front of me. No, it can’t be helped, it’s because I’m too short.

“I’m sorry. How can I help you?”

“Magical girls, do you like them? You were reading the special feature right?”

Well, it can’t be helped if I’m found out.

It’s late at night, so there are no other customers, and if someone talks to me, I can’t just ignore them.

Let’s take this chance to have a chat.

“That’s right. All the heroes on the special feature are all cool so I like them.”

“That’s true… This Blackrose girl also fights alone and saves everyone. She’s amazing, isn’t she…”

How do I say it, it’s kind of calm, or is it dark. Even though the words themselves sounded clear, the way she spoke made it seems like she’s doesn’t have confidence in herself.

She was acting a little timid, I was rather impressed that she was even able to talk to me.

“Do you like heroes too?”

“Magical girls, I like them. But, magical girls, what are they fighting for?”

“Isn’t it to protect people?”

Well, I’m different, but I think that’s generally the case.

“I knew it. Protecting someone, is what a magical girl is…. If, there is a magical girl who couldn’t save someone, then she is disqualified as a magical girl…”

She is quite harsh, huh. She probably has high ideals about heroes. I understand. I had a time like that too.

Dreaming of ideals, seeing reality, and being disappointed.

She is probably a pure and innocent child who thinks that an ideal should be perfect.

It would be easy to dismiss it and say that you will understand when you grow up, but that would be difficult to understand and accept.

As an adult and a hero, let’s save all the magical girls whom I have yet to meet.

“I don’t think so. Even if you are told that you are disqualified as a hero because you cannot save someone, if you could help someone else, then I’m sure from that person’s point of view, you are a hero. So please don’t say bad things about magical girls. ”

“I-I’m sorry. Saying something like this to someone who likes magical girls, … It’s rude isn’t it…”

`Daijōbuda yo. Tada, mahō shōjo datte hitori no ningen’na nda. Shippai datte arushi, kizutsui tari datte suru hazuda yo. Moshi kimi ga hontōni mahō shōjo o sukinara, tatoe shippaishita-ko ga ite mo ōen shite agete hoshī na. Tatoe Sonoko ga hīrō shikkaku nante iwa rete shimatte mo, itsuka, sono ōen de kitto hīrō ni nareru hazudakara’ yappari hīrō ni hitsuyōna no wa chikaradattari, shin’nendattari wa mochirondakedo, hitobito no ōen ga kanari jūyōna kagi to narudarou. Dore dake pinchi ni ochītta to shite mo, takusan no hito-tachi ni yoru ōen de kakusei suru hīrō. Kakkōī. Ma~a, mochiron sore demo, dareka o tasuke renai toki mo arudaroukedo, sonotoki wa shikatanai. Mata tsugi no kikai ga otozureru no o matsu shika nai. Hīrō ni naru koto o akiramenakereba, soshite itsuka, dareka ichi-ri demo tasuke rarereba, ōen shite iru hito ni totte wa hīrōdearu koto wa machigainai nodakara. `Sate, kohon. Okyakusama, o kaikei ni nasaimasu ka?’ `A , etto. Hai’ sorosoro arubaito no jikan mo owarida. Itsu made mo hanashi teru baai janai. Hanashi o tachikitte shime no junbi o suru. Yosō shite ita yori bitāna hanashidattaga, hīrō ni taisuru hyōka wa nakanaka kibishī mono ga aru yōda. Soshite tabun, kibishī hyōka o kudashite iru no wa, ano ko dake janai nodarou. Hīrō to,-sōdenai mono no mizo wa, kantan ni wa umari-sō ninai na. `Hīrō mo taihenda ne’ `totsuzen nani o iidasu kki ~yu’ mahō no apuri no sutoa kara chūmon shita kōkyū aisu o tabenagara, sofa ni shizun demoki ~yutoyukkurio hanashi o suru. Aikawarazu sutoa no shokuhin wa saitei-gaku 1 pointonanode kōkyū-hindaga, pan to onajiyōni tsumeawase ni natte iru tame, sūjitsu ni watari tanoshimeru mono to natte iru. Mechamecha oishī. Fukusū aru aisu no naka no hitotsudearu ichigo no furēbā kaoru aisu o tanoshiminagara, koi matcha no aisu o tabete iru mo ki ~yuheto zatsudan o suru. Ato de sore wakete hoshī. `Hito o tasuke rarenai hīrō wa, hīrō janai tte sa’ `hito o tasuke rarenai mahō shōjo wa, mahō shōjo janai tte iwareta kki ~yune. Chikara no aru mono ni shippai wa yurusa renai to omotteru hito wa yoku iru koto kki ~yu. Sorede rōzu wa sore o ki ni shi teru kki ~yu?’ `Un nya. Ma~a chottoshita hanashi no taneda to omotte yo. Sorede, mo ki ~yu wa dō omou. Moshi dare mo tasuke rarenai hīrō ga itara, Sonoko wa hīrō janai to omou?’ `Mo ki ~yuha, mahō shōjo o umidashita toki kara, Sonoko wa hīrōda to omotteru kki ~yu. Seikaku ni wa, hīrō to shite soshitsu ga aru ko o mahō shōjo ni shita dakedakara, sono arikata sae kokoro ni nokotte ireba, itsu made mo hīrōda to omou kki ~yu’ `fu ̄ n’ `kiite kita wari ni han’nō ga usui kki ~yune. Mo ki ~yuhasouiuno yokunai to omou kki ~yu’ mo ki ~yuga aisu no mokusei supūn o furimawashite kōgi o shite kuru. Batchī zo kora. Yogore o makichirasu baikin manjū no supūn o toriagete, seigi no dekopin o kurawa seru. `Boku wa sa, sore o kiite omotta nda yo ne. Hora, mahō shōjo no nakaniha “wandarā” no tōbatsu ni shippaishita-ko ga iru yo ne. Yappari Sonoko wa, jibun ga dareka o tasuke rarenakute nayanda no ka na ̄ tte. Sorede, imademo dareka o tasukeyou to suru koto o osore teru no ka na ̄ tte’ `ma~a,-sō kki ~yune. Tasuke rarenakatta hito ga itakoto de, tanin no hyōka dake janaku, jibun jishin o yurusenaku omotteru ko mo iru kki ~yu. Sōitta ko wa, jibun wa hīrō ni fusawashikunai to omotteru kki ~yu’ dareka o tasukete koso hīrōdearu to iu kanten wa boku ni moaruga, soredemo jibun jishin ga ichiban daijida. Tasuke renakatta toki wa chikarabusoku mo kanjirudarouga, dakaratoitte hīrō o yameru tsumori datte nai. Dakedo, tanin kara no retteru dake janaku, mizukara hīrō shikkaku nante hyōka o kudashite shimatta ko wa, ittai dare ga tasukete kureru ndarou ka. Boku no aisu o kasume torou to suru manjū no mimi bubun o tsumamu. `Rōzu wa igaito tanin no kotode mo kangae sugiru seikaku kki ~yune’ `chokusetsu ā itta koto o iwa reta no wa hajimetedakara, sasuga ni kangaezaru o enai yo. Soreni hitogoto janaidesho. Boku wa jiko chūshin-tekina hīrōdakara ne. Jibun to tanin, dotchi o tasukeru nante iwa retara jibun o erabu yo. Sorede sonōchi hīrō shikkaku toka iwa reru no ka to omou to osoroshikute tamaranai ne’ `moshi iwa reta to shite mo rōzunara mondainai kki ~yu. Dōse hokanohito no iken de kawaru kurai no hīrō-kan nante mottenai kki ~yu. Hoka no mahō shōjo mitai ni kuyokuyo suru seikaku demonaishi, kangaeru dake muda kki ~yu’ ma~a, jijitsude wa arushi, tanin no hyōka de jibun no hīrō tamashī ga kimaru wake janaito boku jishin mo omotte iru kotode wa aru. Aru ga,da. Sore o tanin kara iwa reru to haragatatsu no wa shikatanai kotoda to omou. Jijitsudeareba nani o itte mo ī to wa kagiranai to iu koto o, kono manjū no karada ni kizande yarou. Soreto boku no aisu o yokumo tabeya gatta na. Ī dokyō o shite iru. Mo ki ~yuno kotoba ga kaisen no gongu ni nari, isshokusokuhatsu no kūki ga nagareru. Ude o makuri, faitingupōzu o torinagara, mo ki ~yuno kyodō ni shūchū suru. Majimena fun’iki nado tōni musan shite shimatta heya no naka, sofa no ue de manjū to no puroresu ga hajimatta.

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“It’s okay. But even magical girls are human beings. They make mistakes and get hurt. If you really like magical girls, even if they make mistakes, support them.” Even if that child is disqualified from being a hero, someday with that support, he or she will surely become a hero.”

“It’s okay. But even magical girls are human beings. They make mistakes and get hurt. If you really like magical girls, then please support them even if they make mistakes. Even if that child is disqualified as a hero, someday with that support, they will surely become a hero.”

Of course, a hero needs strength and faith, but the support of the people is also a very important factor.

A hero who, with the support of many people, always gets back up no matter how much a pinch he is in. That’s so cool.

Well, of course, there will be times when you won’t be able to save someone, but if that time came then it can’t be helped. You just have to wait for the next opportunity to come along. If you don’t give up on being a hero, and if you can save someone someday, you are a hero to those who are cheering for you.

“Well then, ahem. Would you like to pay the bill?”

“Oh, erm. Yes…”

It’s almost time for me to finish my part-time job. I can’t just talk forever.

I cut off the conversation and prepare to close.

The talk was more bitter than I had expected, but it seems that the hero’s evaluation is rather harsh.

And probably that girl isn’t the only one giving harsh evaluations.

The gap between heroes and non-heroes is not going to be easily bridged.

“I guess, heroes also have it hard.”

“What are you saying all of a sudden kyu…”

I sink onto the sofa and talked with Mokyu while eating the high-grade ice cream I ordered from the magic app store.

As always, the store’s food is a luxury item because of the 1-point minimum value, but like the bread, it comes as an assortment that can be enjoyed over several days. It’s insanely delicious.

While enjoying the strawberry-flavored ice cream, which is one of several ice creams, I chatted with Mokyu, who was eating a deep matcha ice cream.

I want you to share it with me later.

“A hero who can’t save people isn’t a hero.”

“I’ve heard it, they said that a magical girl who can’t help people isn’t a magical girl kyu~. People often think that those with power are not allowed to fail kyu~. Does Roze care about that kyu~?”

“Nah Just think of it as small talk. So, what do you think, Mokyu? If there is a hero who can’t save anyone, do you think she’s not a hero?”

“Mokyu has thought she is a hero since she becomes a magical girl kyu~. To be more precise, I only made a child who had the potential to be a hero into a magical girl, so as long as that remains in her heart, she will always be a hero kyu~”

“Hmm…”

“Even though you’re the one asking about it, your reaction is weak kyu~. Mokyu doesn’t think it’s good kyu~.”

Mokyu waved the wooden ice cream spoon around and protested. Hey, that’s dirty.

I took the spoon, which was full of germs and spreading dirt, and gave Mokyu a justice flick on the forehead.

“Well, when I heard that something popped up on my mind. You know, there are some magical girls who have failed to defeat the ‘Wanderer’. After all, I wonder if that child was worried that she couldn’t help someone. So, I wonder if she is still afraid of trying to save someone.”

“Well, I guess so…. There are some children who are unable to forgive not the judgment of others, but themselves, for not being able to save someone kyu~. That kind of children thinks they are not worthy of being heroes. kyu~”

I also have the viewpoint that I am a hero only when I save someone, but I still think myself is the most important. I may feel inadequate when I can’t save someone, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to quit being a hero. However, who will help a child who has not by the label given by others but the child themself who thinks they are disqualified as a hero?

I pinched the ears of this steamed bun that was trying to snatch my ice cream.

“Roze unexpectedly has a tendency to think too much about other people kyu~.”

“It’s the first time I’ve been told something like that directly, so I can’t help but think about it. And it’s not someone else’s problem, isn’t it? I’m a self-centered hero. If I was asked who I would save, myself or others, I would choose myself. I dread the thought of being told I’m disqualified as a hero.”

“Even if they did, Roze would be fine kyu~. You’re not a hero that would change just because of other people’s opinions anyway kyu~. Unlike other magical girls, you also don’t fret over things like that, so it’s useless to think about it kyu~.”

Well, it is true, and I myself believe that my heroic spirit is not determined by what others think of me. It is true, but… I think it is inevitable that I will get angry if others say that. Let’s engrave on this steamed bun’s body that just because it’s the truth doesn’t mean you can just say it out like that. And how dare you eat my ice cream? You have some nerve.

Mokyu’s words became the gong to start the war, and the air become tense.

I roll up my arms and strike a fighting pose, concentrating on what Mokyu will do.

In a room where the serious atmosphere has long since fizzled out, a wrestling match with a steamed bun began on the sofa.