NOVEL WEB Chapter 29
“After the training period for the additional 50 applicants ends, we have decided to deploy 10 teams of 6, each including one senior cheerleader, directly to conflict zones and areas lacking medical support.”
With her golden-hued hair and striking golden eyes, the Born 2-Star [Nursing] Magical Girl Himari calmly continued as she turned to the next page of the document.
“We have produced a basic manual for the use of healing abilities and distributed it to local government facilities and libraries, and we have completed discussions for overseas personnel to operate under the supervision of the Red Cross.”
After reporting all the information she had prepared, Himari bowed her head to the temporary representative, Sumire, and quietly returned to her seat.
“Wow, the [Nursing] Magical Girl seems really good at talking. Yamashita Inspector!”
“Team leader, please maintain silence during the meeting.”
Even if they weren’t as experienced as Himari, the very first representative of the sanctioned Magical Girl organization, the Magical Girls chosen for the council had a wealth of knowledge in their respective fields.
Perhaps because they had experience working in the field alongside experts, the presentation went smoothly and retained its formal shape.
‘I expected it to turn into a class presentation or flea market.’
The atmosphere Yamashita experienced in high school or middle school was nothing like this, so he was genuinely surprised by the seasoned girls’ meeting vibe.
‘It feels like there are sparkles of every color flying around in the meeting room.’
Glancing up at the ceiling of the meeting room, Yamashita noticed that every time the girls announced their achievements, intangible energies shimmered and spread sparkles.
“Thank you for the presentation. Next, the team leader of the Metropolitan Police Magical Girl Task Team will present.”
“Ah! Hello! I am Tsugumi Ishikawa from the Magical Girl Task Team of the Japanese Metropolitan Police!”
“Do you have anything to present?”
“I do not! Currently, all 30 members of the Magical Girl Guard are in training and on standby!”
Our hastily organized group is just having fun.
Hearing a type of presentation that must never come out during performance announcements, Yamashita barely suppressed the urge to smack his forehead while mumbling to himself.
‘In situations like this, you should talk about the vision for the future and smoothly change the subject! Team Leader!!’
“Thank you for your presentation. Next…”
“Can I present?”
Chatter
As one girl stood up from the ‘packed’ central table, everyone in the meeting room gasped in astonishment.
“Gasp…!”
“[Start]?!”
“When?!”
There she was sitting there.
＊
There she was sitting there.
‘Sumire Fujimoto…’
Maybe we’ve been intertwined far longer than we think.
Perhaps it was from the moment I came to this world and ate at the master’s shop.
Maybe it was when Hana called me Hikari-chan from her wheelchair.
Perhaps it was from the time Ichika and Kyoko thanked me while patting my back.
Or maybe it was from the moments I recalled my connection to this place while thinking of my mother.
Even as I took steps down a path different from the original work.
I was hiding the hesitation that had arisen hoping against hope.
I would no longer hide the ‘right thing’ buried deep in my heart, covered by the mask of selfishness for the past two years.
“You are quite late, candidate for Chairperson.”
“Yes, I got lost for a moment due to heavy traffic.”
“…I’m glad you found your way here, even if late.”
Sumire Fujimoto looked at me for a moment with a complicated expression before silently mouthing.
‘Even now.’
Was it her last warning before she bore the burden of her father’s ghost?
Or was it an illusion shown by my selfishness to turn and run away even now?
“I will not take the position of Chairperson of the Magical Girl Union Council…”
Silence
The girls behind in the meeting room all simultaneously connected their radios to receive instructions as officials sitting in the audience were heard speaking in urgent tones.
Zing!
The cameraman, who had been capturing us from a corner of the conference room, seemed to be zooming in in a hurry as well.
Our conversation was drawing the world’s attention.
“Then, the Magical Girl of [Start] will… regarding the activities of the official Magical Girl group…”
“But instead…”
Silence
It was a crucial moment where the direction of the future of the Magical Girls would be determined by the sudden appearance of the Magical Girl of [Start], and everyone held their breath.
“I wish to become a queen.”
“…?”
“A queen?”
“What on earth does that mean?!”
“Do you want the throne of the emperor? But the royal family…”
Swish
Sumire extended her hand to silence the agitated crowd and looked at me calmly once more.
“This is a public place. Please refrain from remarks that can be interpreted as jokes or suspicion.”
I held the colorless Glass Star.
Three starlights shone beautifully as they were drawn to my heart.
They hadn’t shone this brilliantly in all the past two years, neither in Odaiba nor in Kabukicho.
It was a shimmer permitted only to those who truly deceive the world.
To protect what I deemed ‘right’, I would deceive the destiny determined by this world.
I would deceive the [Magical Girl HAZARD] created by three evil gods who deceive humanity.
Not by the declaration of an evil god but by my words as a human, the age of Magical Girls would begin.
I separated my consciousness and proclaimed to both the world and humanity.
“Under the third light, I, the Magical Girl of Start, declare.”
[Under the third light, I, the Magical Girl of Deception, declare.]
“To all those living in the land where every girl’s dream began.”
[To those living in the land of tragedy where destruction is predetermined.]
“You girls born under a star that guides others in dreams.”
[To those girls who will hurt each other due to ignorance in the future.]
“Be protected and respected under dreams and destinies that will last forever.”
[Even the future and fate decided by three evil gods must be deceived.]
“The hope that guides others shall become the virtue of this land.”
[The deception that even fate can be twisted shall be humanity’s victory.]
In that moment, the world responded to my sincerity.
7,381 first lights resonated, entering the stars and becoming the dreams that made up the world.
67 second lights resonated, entering the stars and becoming the destinies that led the world.
And I launched a single third light into this land.
Bam!
The colorless light that burst forth in the middle of the meeting room shot up like a pillar into the sky.
Reaching beyond the blue sky to the dark edge of the universe, the light spread widely as it enveloped the land where the Magical Girls were born.
“What, what is that?!”
“There’s just light, light everywhere?!”
“What on earth is happening?!”
Chaos.
Astonishment.
As the light erupting from the center of the meeting room pierced the roof, people were thrown into disarray.
There were those hastily trying to flee outside the meeting room.
And others who simply stared with wide eyes, witnessing the change of the times.
“Cough! The curtain of light is… I can’t move!”
“Ah, miss, it’s dangerous!”
Security guards who rushed to protect their VIPs were halted by the curtain of light blocking the central table, only able to shout.
Thud!
I tapped my staff to compose what would become my territory.
Imagining it as the paradise for all girls.
Where dreams flourish.
The place where all dreams begin.
“Please have the interfering adults exit for a moment.”
Pop!
Pop!
Pop!
All the adults standing behind the girls at the back of the central table were enveloped in dazzling light and exited the meeting room.
I smiled at the girls who were panicking in the chaos or showing signs of tears.
“Welcome. To the Garden of Dreams.”
“Ga… Garden?”
Himari, who was exceptionally calm while observing everything, gasped as she looked around.
The drab-colored tables and chairs that filled the meeting room where the girls once sat had all transformed into glass emitting a soft rainbow light.
“Huh? Where is this place?”
“Trees… Trees?!”
At the end of the refreshing breeze, countless trees and flowers awaited.
“In the middle of Tokyo?!”
“It was a meeting room, so why is there a botanical garden?!”
A garden.
It was a vast garden.
A garden so big that even hundreds of girls who had been in the audience wouldn’t be able to fill it.
Beneath the soft glass roof, brilliant sunlight shone down, and on the beautiful glass tables and chairs where the girls sat, a cup of black tea was placed for each.
“What… what is all this…?”
Struggling to speak in astonishment, Sumire’s eyes shook uncontrollably.
Because.
That garden was floating high above.
The garden contained within a massive glass sphere was suspended in the skies over Tokyo.
Outside the spherical barrier, the skies of Japan that one might see on a science channel were visible.
We had temporarily freed ourselves from the shackles of the land we originally inhabited and ascended to a space only the rightful owners of this land could remain.
“Yamashita Inspector!! There’s something like a barrier over all of Japan?!”
Just as Tsugumi unconsciously searched for the adults who were not present, the whole sky over Japan was covered by a shimmering curtain resembling a prism.
Like an aurora, it spread across the blue sky that simply hung over Japan, painting it with vibrant colors.
Tap, tap!
I captured the attention of the girls who were either swallowed by astonishment and about to faint or were frantically looking around with the sound of my staff.
“Everyone.”
“Let’s begin.”
“The meeting for the Magical Girls.”
“The Dream of Walpurgis.”