The rooftop of Hoshisaki Girls’ Middle School was very well renovated.
The gray sandy floor was clean and dust-free.
The silver-white iron railings reflected glaring sunlight.
Looking straight ahead from the rooftop, one could see the clear blue sky unique to autumn.
At the edge of the view, the landmark building of the new urban district—Seika Tower—stood quietly.
This place was generally only opened when taking graduation photos or when outsiders reserved a visit.
Want to know why Nadeshiko had the rooftop key?
Because she’s a bad girl, you know (laugh).
Nadeshiko hummed a tuneless little melody as she pulled Rakuraku’s hand and familiarly found the spot they sat at most often.
“This is my secret base, okay~? You can just see Seika Tower from here, and you won’t get sunburned either.”
Nadeshiko placed the bento on the bench and spoke to Rakuraku.
“Nadeshiko-chan… do you come to the rooftop often?” Rakuraku said a little timidly.
Although she usually dressed like a gyaru, she was an out-and-out good girl when it came to school discipline.
Seeing the Nadeshiko who was normally so gentle in class, like everyone’s mom, have this kind of side was a bit unexpected.
It felt like she had discovered another side of Nadeshiko-chan… Rakuraku’s cheeks flushed a little as she lowered her head to look at her newly done manicure.
“Hmm? I actually only come when I’m in a bad mood. I just feel like empty places like this can really help a person relax.”
Nadeshiko didn’t notice Rakuraku’s abnormality. She spread out the lunchbox and spoke to herself.
“I can give Rakuraku a key too later, okay? That way we’ll be sharing a secret~”
That’s… too foul!!! Saying something like sharing a secret in that tone… I completely can’t resist it at all!!
Rakuraku covered her burning cheeks with her long sleeves. Her pair of pink eyes fluttered as they drifted over to the bento box.
“It… it looks so delicious! Did Nadeshiko-chan make all of this herself?”
She still didn’t understand Nadeshiko that well. In her impression she was just “a very gentle person.”
But after they switched seats in the new term, the lively her and the gentle Nadeshiko had quickly grown close.
Maybe… probably, I like her just a tiny little bit? No no no, Nadeshiko-chan is so good, everyone would feel this way! That’s right!
Rakuraku made excuses for herself in her heart.
“Humph~ It’s actually not that hard. It’s just some home cooking.” Nadeshiko picked up a piece of tamagoyaki with her chopsticks and held it to Rakuraku’s mouth. “Rakuraku, want me to feed you a bite?”
We’re both girls so this is normal! Just forget those “magical girl matters” already! Bite it, bite it!
The little person in Rakuraku’s heart roared, tempting her to open her mouth and eat the piece of tamagoyaki in front of her.
“Gulp…” Rakuraku swallowed hard. “Th-then I’ll dig in…” She then opened her mouth, about to take a bite.
“Boom—“
A tremendous roar sounded, followed by smoke rising into the sky.
In just an instant, Rakuraku sensed that familiar evil magic belonging to the monsters.
Just when she didn’t want to deal with “magical girl crap,” the “magical girl crap” came looking for her on its own.
“Tsk.“
The two of them clicked their tongues at almost the same time. Rakuraku stood up first and said to Nadeshiko,
“Nadeshiko-chan, it’s so dangerous! We should hurry downstairs!”
“It’s fine~ From the looks of it, it’s over in the West City district, pretty far from here. And Rakuraku should believe that our magical girls will definitely resolve this incident quickly.”
Nadeshiko forced down the black lines covering her face and smiled as she waved the phone that had been vibrating the whole time at Rakuraku.
“Th-then I’ll go down first. I’m a little scared…” Rakuraku gave a dry laugh and dashed downstairs like the wind.
“Idiot.”
Nadeshiko watched her go downstairs, then turned and leaned against the railing. She unlocked the phone that had been vibrating since earlier.
[Group Chat: Night Theater]
Owl: @Valentine, restrain yourself a bit this operation
Owl: @Valentine, don’t make such a huge commotion
…99+ unread messages
Owl: Valentine, if you keep reading without replying I’ll kill you
Valentine: Mentally fragile.
Owl: @Fox Mask @Fox Mask @Fox Mask, go kill Valentine.
…A bunch of idiots
Nadeshiko turned off the phone screen, leaned against the railing, and gazed at the smoke rising in the distance.
Directly in front of her field of view, the “curse” that belonged only to Nadeshiko—the Villain Role-Playing System prompt—was shining as if urging her.
“Time to replenish some Villain Points…” Nadeshiko sighed and took the silver-white fox mask out of her bag.
She never wanted to experience that kind of punishment again.
——
Sakuhane Rakuraku flew through the streets and alleys.
She pulled the hairpin from her hair, clutched it in her palm, and silently recited the transformation chant.
[I STRETCH OUT BOTH HANDS AND CATCH THE FALLING POWDER OF THE CONSTELLATIONS.]
Faint pink starlight began to gather around the girl, decorating her skirt hem.
[I CLOSE MY EYES AND PASS THROUGH DARKNESS AS FINE AS A NEEDLE’S EYE.]
Stardust poured down elegantly, tying white silk ribbons around her ankles.
[IN THIS SINGLE INSTANT—THE NIGHT TWISTS ME ALIGHT.]
The pink long hair flying behind her was neatly decorated with small, cute bows.
Magical Girl Sakuraraku, sparkling entrance!
The girl who had changed into a gorgeous lolita outfit was no longer that ordinary high school girl.
With the leg strength after transforming, she easily leaped onto the rooftop of a skyscraper and nimbly traveled between the buildings.
“Magical Girl Sakuraraku, magic power authentication complete.”
A cold electronic female voice rang out. The phone in her waist pouch unfolded four side wings, flew out of the pouch, and hovered beside her.
“Now connecting you to Demon Hunting Division Guidance Specialist—Tsurushiro Reika.”
Even as Rakuraku sped between the high-rises, Reika’s voice still clearly reached her ears through the fierce wind.
“Miss Sakuraraku, I have already projected the specific incident location onto the electronic panel for you.”
The electronic billboards between the high-rises that had just been displaying magical girl idol advertisements, after a burst of garbled code, were replaced by a map with specific markers, causing passersby to cry out in surprise.
“You Demon Hunting Division people really do things with way too much fanfare…”
Rakuraku muttered softly, yet it was still clearly captured by the phone hovering beside her.
“You flatter us, Miss Sakuraraku. Squad A-12 has already arrived at the mission site. Once Miss Sakuraraku arrives, I will transfer overall command authority to you.”
That evil magic was right ahead. Rakuraku lightly slid down the surface of the building.
In her field of view ahead, the broken walls and ruins caused by the explosion were already clearly visible.
Directly below her, the battle was intense.
The spider-shaped monster waved its forelegs, blocking every last bullet from Squad A-12.
Even some lucky bullets that broke through its defense could only leave shallow scratches on its outer skin.
Sakuraraku condensed several magic longswords in her right hand.
The instant she landed she slammed the floor.
The longswords, carrying trails of stardust, violently pinned the monster’s eight pincer legs to the ground.
The monster let out a pained shriek that cracked the surrounding glass.
The members of Squad A-12 all painfully covered their ears and dropped to their knees.
Sakuraraku darted forward, pulled a longsword from the ground, and beheaded it with one strike.
Black blood sprayed forth.
The monster ugly-twisted its body, trying to launch a final counterattack, but the dissolving limbs had already declared its death.
As the last bit of limb disappeared, only traces of destruction remained at the scene.
Heaven and earth returned to silence.