CH 65

Tea Party on the Terrace

Translated by LyraDhani

Edited by LyraDhani

–Time went back from the government press conference to April 15.

“I know I’m late, but congratulations on your enrollment in the university. Oh, here is a souvenir from Chidori. Please take it if you like.“

“Un, thank you. –Anyway, it’s Castella from Nagasaki. Before that, I got sakura jelly from Akita-Chidori must be traveling around a lot.

Tsugumi and Mebuki were sitting across from each other on the terrace of a fashionable café. Mebuki smiled as she accepted the box of Castella offered to her.

“I’ve heard that Chidori’s transportation skill can’t be used in the places she’s never been gone to outside of the barrier. It looks like she’s forced to go away to various branches every time I take a vacation… I don’t want her to overdo it.“

Tsugumi said with a wry smile.

–Chidori was using her power as a mobile service provider to help, as she first contracted with the government. There were conditions, as Tsugumi said earlier, to use the Gate for mobility, but even so, its effectiveness was immeasurable. He didn’t want her to be too useful and not be able to quit.

Magical Girls belonging to the government who had transportation-based skills were generally not in the battles very often, so most of them did not retire even as they aged.

By the way, ordinary Magical Girls usually retired in their mid-20s at most. The reason for this was not physical decline, but simply because the world’s eyes were becoming more and more strict.

The reason for this was because the public treated Magical Girls as idols and wanted them to voluntarily retire and vacate the slot for Magical Girls.

Since the absolute number of Gods willing to cooperate was fixed, it might be cruel but in a sense natural that the world would think that a young girl with a future should take on the role rather than an older woman with no prospects for advancement.

On the contrary, It seemed that when one became a big name at the level of Rikka, they were spared from retiring, but instead, they got shunned by younger Magical Girls. …Magical Girl industry was really hell.

“Well, I’m relieved to hear that your life wasn’t in that much danger. I was really surprised when Chidori told me that she had become a Magical Girl. I’ve already graduated, so I can’t help you at school, but you can count on me for anything else. I still have some power.“

Saying this, Mebuki winked at Tsugumi. The move suited her so well that Tsugumi couldn’t help but admire it.

“Hmm? What’s the matter, Tsugumi-kun? You look dazed.“

“Ah, no, I just thought Senpai looks cute today, too.“

When Tsugumi answered honestly, Mebuki blinked her eyes and then smiled.

“What’s the matter, all of a sudden? You don’t get anything for praising me. –Oh, maybe I didn’t give you enough? Shall we go buy something now?“

“No, I don’t want anything. …Maybe you’re still bothered by that matter? It’s okay. I was saved by those self-defense items.“

Saying this, Tsugumi lightly cowered his shoulders. Apparently, Mebuki was still concerned about what happened after the accident at the Amusement Park.

…Remembering a new pair of glasses and a letter he had received from Mebuki before, in the letter she had written, “I would like to thank you“. When he had asked Mebuki about it later, she replied with words he never expected to hear.

–The self-defense items used by Tsugumi in the Amusement Park incident. It seemed that the government had decided to increase the production of those items.

…It had been proven in that accident that they were indeed effective against Demonic Beasts. But Tsugumi felt a little complicated because it felt like he was being forced to go along with an experiment without knowing it.

As for Mebuki, she might feel guilty for accidentally making Tsugumi the advertiser, and in this way, she frequently tried to buy something for Tsugumi. At first, he was a little bothered, but he was more grateful for the self-defense items, so now he didn’t mind anymore.

“–But then again, even Senpai is busy, right? You said you were given your own laboratory as soon as you entered the university. And you were suddenly treated as a laboratory head, weren’t you? I don’t doubt your abilities in the slightest, but are you sure they’re not picking on you?“

–Laboratory of Magical Science and Engineering, Teito University. It was Mebuki’s new study place.

The newcomer was a rare researcher who had her own laboratory and was backed by famous companies and the government. Coupled with Her Western-style appearance, she was the subject of controversy.

Well, this senior would probably not care about the trivial opinions of a few people, but he was still worried.

When Tsugumi asked this, Mebuki squinted and laughed, crossing her hands and placing them on the desk. …Her chest was strangely emphasized, making it hard to look away.

“Oh, you’re worried about me? Thanks, I’m glad. …Well, there was some kind of harassment the first few days. The senior in the other lab-he blackmailed them and they immediately relented. He’s a man called Higoromo Yuki, do you know him?“

“Ah, I think I’ve heard that name somewhere before. Isn’t he the leading authority in the theory of Magical Girls’ activities? Such a big name is helping you.“

-Higoromo Yuki was a young man around 20 years old who was mainly researching the relationship between Magical Girls’ vessels and aptitude, and how the divine power was reflected in their skills by certain mechanisms. His research had apparently made it much easier to select those with the right aptitude. Although he was still a student, it was rumored that he would soon receive a medal from the government.

“I thought so, too, and asked him about it. Apparently, he is a distant relative of your homeroom teacher, Suzune-sensei. And he had told her that he would help me if I needed anything when I entered the University. Fufu, I have to thank Suzune-sensei properly later.“

“Suzune-sensei really has some strange connections…“

Tsugumi said so. Suzune’s relatives, including Rikka, might be peculiar people.

“As for me, I’m more worried about you. I heard from Chidori. During the past two months, the number of your late arrivals and early departures due to illness has been increasing. I heard that you have a migraine-like symptom that causes pain behind your eyes. Have you seen a doctor?“

“…Yes, –in a manner of speaking. I heard that it could be an aftereffect of hitting my head at the Amusement Park, but they did an MRI and couldn’t find anything wrong. I am going to wait and see for a while.“

As Tsugumi replied to Mebuki, he gently lowered his eyes. –It was a big fat lie that he wasn’t feeling well.

For the past two months, Tsugumi had been hunting B-class Demonic Beasts, sacrificing his schoolwork as well. The reason for his poor health was the pain behind his eyes, when he said this, Suzune and Kisara actively told him to take a break. …He felt sorry for taking advantage of people’s kindness, but he hoped they would forgive him and be patient until the end of the month.

The number of B-class Demonic Beasts that appeared in a month was approximately between five and eight. The time of day and frequency were random, so Tsugumi decided to fight the B-class Demonic Beasts once a week.

At that time, there was a brief dispute with the government, but that was quickly resolved.

After the second B-class battle was over, the government told him something like, “We appreciate you fighting for us, but we don’t want you to monopolize the B-class Demonic Beasts.“ in rather oblique terms. …Perhaps they did not want to spoil Tsugumi’s mood after he agreed to join Jukka.

But even Tsugumi could not retreat this time.

He contacted Inaba directly at the Demonic Beast Countermeasure Headquarters and strongly insisted on the need to fight the B-class.

–At this stage, “Hagakure Sakura,“ who didn’t belong to the government, could only gain experience in actual battles. The government would not want “Hagakure Sakura“ who entered Jukka to be weak, so he apologized for almost monopolizing the battle with B-class, but he asked to be allowed to do so until the end of April. 

And to Inaba, who began to worry, Tsugumi said something like this.

“From March until the end of April, I refuse to accept the bounty. It’s only natural since I increase the battles on my own, isn’t it?　–Inaba-san. Please, will you persuade the others on those terms?“

The effect of these words was so great that Inaba had persuaded her boss within a matter of minutes. …Was the government perhaps in that much trouble with money? He was a little worried.

And while Inaba was out of his seat, he heard strange voices saying “how noble“ and “precious“ from the terminal that had been left connected, was their mental state really okay? He began to feel a little uneasy.

After such negotiations, Tsugumi successfully won permission and was able to take on the B-class with the government’s approval without a care in the world. …Well, it seemed to have gotten a bad rap from some Magical Girls, but he wasn’t breaking any rules, so there wasn’t any reason to complain about it.

-Besides, a lot of Magical Girls were not that concerned with fighting.

The total number of Magical Girls was currently about 3,000. Of that number, about 30 were A-class Magical Girls, and only about 20 of them were still actively working. The remaining ten were either near retirement due to physical or mental breakdowns, or they became strays and lived a carefree life with their contract Gods

There were about 50 Magical Girls in the B-class, and only about 30 of them had the will to continue fighting vigorously in the future. The rests were C-class and lower classes with similar ability.

…As one could see from this, the number of “Magical Girls who could actually fight“ was far less than the 3,000 announced by the government. Some Magical Girls were scared of when they would be sent into high-class battles.

With that in mind, it couldn’t be said that Tsugumi’s behavior this time was that bad. As stated many times, the Magical Girl industry really was hell.

As Tsugumi stared at the desk with a complicated expression, Mebuki gently patted his head in a caring manner.

“Don’t overdo it. –I’m sure there are more people who will be saddened by your collapse than you realize.“

“…Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.“

Saying so, Tsugumi bowed auspiciously. He didn’t mean to overstep his bounds, but if he were to tell Mebuki about his current situation, she might be furious. However, Mebuki would definitely cooperate with Tsugumi despite her anger. Because she was very kind.

–But I can’t involve Senpai in this. Tsugumi chuckled a little at the thought.

Mebuki decided on her own path and began to move forward. He didn’t want to be the one who drag her down just because he was in trouble.

As the two continued to talk, Mebuki’s cell phone, which was on her desk, rang. Mebuki picked up her cell phone, checked the screen, and opened her mouth, frowning.

“I’m sorry, Tsugumi-kun. It seems there’s an error at the lab, and I have to go back now. –Can I invite you for tea again?“

“Yes, with pleasure.“

Mebuki seemed relieved when he answered with a smile. Then she put some bills on the desk and tried to get up, but then she said, “Oh,“ as if she had just thought of something.

“By the way, that Higoromo-senpai I told you about earlier said he’d like to meet with you.“

“What? Why does such a famous person want to meet me?“

When Tsugumi tilted his head and asked that question, Mebuki smiled and brought her face close to his ear, saying in a small voice to talk in private.

“I heard that Senpai is sharing information with the government. Of course, he knows that the boy involved in the Amusement Park accident is ‘Nanase Tsugumi’. …I think he may have found the right male candidate. He wants to meet you as a researcher.“

Then Mebuki moved away from Tsugumi and smiled beautifully.

“So, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to at least listen to what he has to say. You don’t have to get so worked up about it. It’s probably just intellectual curiosity.“

And then Mebuki left the café after taking a quick look at the time.

“… Everywhere, it’s all such a hassle.“

Tsugumi sipped the remaining lukewarm coffee and gazed idly at the scenery outside. The petals of the cherry blossoms that had fallen to the ground were turning brown. The cherry blossom viewing season was almost over.

–Spring is over, and summer will soon arrive. A new season is about to begin for Tsugumi.