CH 50

Chapter 2 — Expand, my world! • Episode 2-4 • Raid ④

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

The relationship between Extend and Dryad is that of acquainted neighbors and at the same time they are in sync as Magical Girls.

In Japan as a whole, new Magical Girls are being born by the dozens per month, so simply becoming Magical Girls at the same time does not imply a connection. There are even some peers whose names they have never even heard of, let alone talked to. However, when it comes to Magical Girls from neighboring towns, it’s a different story.

Although Extend does not know when this started, Magical Girls in Sakira Town and Junkoi Town have been interacting with each other for a long time. Whenever a new Magical Girl is born in either town, she is introduced to a Magical Girl in the other town, and this connection has been passed down from generation to generation.

When Extend was still in the early stages of becoming a Magical Girl, Dryad was brought to Junkoi Town by a Magical Girl named Grid. Although they are now at loggerheads, Dryad and Grid initially fought on the same team as a apprentice and a mentor.

Although Extend was told by the senior member of Junkoi Town at the time to get along with the other newcomers because they were also newcomers, she and Dryad did not get along from the start. At the time, Dryad seemed to be respectful of Grid and not outwardly opposed to her because of their master-disciple relationship, but she was unrelenting toward Extend.

Dryad, who had been a highly conscious Magical Girl since those days, complained about Extend’s way of being a Magical Girl, saying that her magic was poor, that she was not prepared, and that her ambition was low.

Extend was still a child back then. Unable to come to terms with such a headstrong statement, her antipathy toward Dryad grew by the day, and their relationship gradually faded away.

Their relationship was never repaired, even while the seniors in Junkoi Town retired and the Extend continued to interact with the Grid. Instead, Dryad left Grid and began to fight alone, and they no longer interacted with Junkoi Town at all.

Since then, the relationship between the two has not improved in any particular way. When Extend found Dryad in a coffee shop the other day, they were aware of each other’s presence, but did not speak to each other, which would explain how fraught the relationship is.

「Extend-san…! How did you get here!?」

「I got a call from Elephant-kun. She was very thoughtful and told me that Dryad was coming to visit you. I wasn’t invited, but I can’t waste a junior’s attention, can I?」

Extend winks at the Elephant, who is unable to move her body due to some kind of magical attack.

「I came here to have a talk about the old days, and here I am. For someone who has talked so much about justice and ambition to me, you have fallen from grace.」

「She must be a fake! There’s no way Senpai would do something like this!」

「…Whatever the truth may be, let’s have you back first.」

Although the figure of Extend, holding the Blade and speaking with ease, was full of gaps, the power of the Magical Girls who have reached Phase 3 is separated from that of the Magical Girls who have reached Phase 2. That is why Dryad and the other two could not make a bad move.

「Meteor Shower!」(TN : Meteor Cluster Fist)

「Peach Slash!」

As the three of them were fumbling with their hands, fists formed with orange translucent auras rained down from the sky above. Each of them took evasive or defensive action, but in the meantime, a peach-haired Magical Girl with a sword appeared and cut down the tree that restrained Press.

Samurai Peach, a peach-haired magical girl, moves near Extend with the unconscious Press, and Elephant, whose body has somehow become mobile, joins her. It seemed to have escaped the effects of a mysterious restraining spell by the iron fist that rained down on it.

Finally, Magical Girl Knuckle made a spectacular landing from above, and the battle was completely reversed.

「Now then, I don’t know what’s going on, but let’s get you guys on your knees and see what’s going on.」

「That’s troubling. If you’re going to do this, I’m going to have to go on a business trip too.」

Extend’s swarthy words were answered by a somewhat out-of-place, easygoing voice.

The owner of that voice had not been there a moment ago. It suddenly leaped in front of the extender as if it had fallen from some high place.

Everyone, except Dryad, was stunned and momentarily speechless by the presence that appeared in front of them.

Everyone knows her, unless it was a newcomer or an old geek. She is one of the most well-known witches in the world, thanks to her own promotional activities.

「Rigor Witch-dono…!」

「Yo, nice meeting you. I know you as well, Extend Traveler.」

A girl with vivid-colored red hair tied back and up in two folds, stagnant eyes like murky rubies, a gray military uniform, and a military cap.

Eleventh in the Pecking Order, Simeracres, the Rigor witch.

A Magical Girl who rarely shows her face at Tea Parties and is exclusively engaged in mercenary work, she looks up at Extend and smiles winningly.

「I see, it seems you didn’t come here without any Witch protection.」

Interrupting without understanding the situation, Extend did not know exactly what Dryad’s raid was about, but it was still puzzling.

There is a Witch named Tyrant Sylph in Sakira Town. It seems that she happens to be absent today, but if Tyrant Sylph was her, she would have easily turned her around without any help from the Extend. Dryad must have known this, but she did not seem to be taking any kind of countermeasures.

But now, the puzzling mystery has been solved. Only the Rigor Witch among the Witches was the one who does mercenary gigs. Dryad hired her as a counter to the Witches.

There are rumors that Simeracres will do anything if someone is loaded with money, although Extend is not aware of the actual situation. Extend thought that the fact that it came out in this situation was not a mistake.

「Just to confirm, but are we sure that your employers are the three people behind you?」

「Hah? What a fool. I’m not going to talk about my employer. So, if you’re up for it, I’m always up for it. If you want to run away, I won’t chase you.」

Even if Simeracres kept her mouth shut, it is hard to imagine that Dryad was not the employer in this situation. The fact that Dryad was not in the least perturbed by the appearance of Simeracres is a sure sign of this. If so, what is its purpose? If she was to be fully utilized as a force, she could have been deployed from the beginning. However, Simeracres actually showed up just as Extend was about to enter the fray. Moreover, she said she would not pursue them if they ran away. From this fact, it is highly likely that Simeracres was not asked to be a mercenary to actively fight Witches, but rather to stall or buy time. In other words, the strategy was to hit the local Magical Girls without letting the Witches sidetrack them.

Thinking that far ahead, Extend decided that the possibility that had occurred to her from the beginning was the most applicable. Although, she just found it a little hard to believe that that Dryad was really acting for such a thing, and it took her a while to come to a final decision.

「I didn’t realize that you had really degenerated into a Hunting Ground troll. It’s lamentable. I wonder what Grid-san would say if she knew…」

Extend to says to herself, “I know she won’t say anything in particular, but…”

Although Extend is pretending to have a comfortable attitude, the situation is actually not so good.

If this had been a one-on-one fight with Simeracres, she would have fought with glee, but she was up against one Witch and perhaps three Phase 2 Magical Girls. Dryad, of course, is equipped with what appears to be a specialized weapon, as are the other two. In contrast, Extend’s have one witch, two Phase 2 Magical Girls, and then one Phase 1 Magical Girl. That is what happens when Press and Blade were excluded because they are in no condition to fight.

In addition to being outnumbered in terms of simple numbers, the unconscious Press and the magic-unavailable Blade must be protected.

Even if she win, it is meaningless if others are destroyed.

Extend also came up with one good idea.

Samurai Peach and Knuckle share the opinion that most of the ideas that come to mind for Extend was either stupid or worthless, but miraculously, this time the idea was not a bad one.

「I, here, am not going to actively get involved in another town’s troubles. However, I am friends with these ladies. I couldn’t just sit back and let it happen, but if you’ll let them go, there’s no reason to fight any more.」

「That’s a big deal. I’m often misunderstood, but I don’t like unnecessary conflict either.」

The two Witches put on thin smiles and talk to each other. Extend had no intention of backing down at this point, and it was a joke to say that Witches who are mercenaries don’t like conflict, but while both sides had some understanding of what was in the other’s gut, she was trying to settle the matter in the form of a defeat for Extend.

However, there were those who disagreed.

「Hold on a second!」

Dryad, who was about to close in on Extend who had already started the transition, was stopped by the outstretched arm of Simeracres.

「I’m not going to join you if you’re going to do this, get that?」

Seeing Dryad shrug off her words, Extend knew that she was right. And if that’s the case, she can do it and outline a plan for the future. While Knuckle will take care of the details, Extend herself will draw the big picture. Fortunately, there is plenty of time. Rather, this might have been a good opportunity, and Extend looked at Blade and the others with kind eyes.