NOVEL WEB Chapter 30
Magical Girl Dinner Party Part 2
In the morning, I was busy taking down monsters while coordinating with Marin, and in the afternoon, I returned to the dormitory and fell into a deep sleep. But around evening, I woke up with my stomach growling.
“…It’s dinner time.”
“Haruna, you’re awake. What about dinner?”
(That’s right…)
Let’s go to Numazu for dinner today. With that thought, I left my room.
But then, I ran into someone from the same class…
“Oh? Aren’t you Inie? Where are you headed?”
A magical girl who speaks in an odd tone. Her name is Magical Girl Take Mikadzuchi.
Her purple hair resembling hydrangeas and golden eyes leave an impression, but more than that, I remember her laughing uncontrollably when I got blown away alongside a pillar of fire.
“I’m on my way to eat dinner.”
“Hmm… If you don’t mind, why don’t we go together? It wouldn’t hurt to strengthen our bonds.”
If it’s not bad, honestly, it’s kind of annoying.
I’d prefer to eat quietly alone without disturbing anyone, but there’s nothing to be done…
“Do you know about Numazu?”
“Aye. Marin took me there once. And you don’t have to speak so formally either, you know?”
If I try to loosen up my speech too much, it’ll just expose my flaws.
“I find this way easier to talk, so please don’t worry about it.”
“I see. However, it’s strange not being able to see your face because you’re wearing a hood… truly mysterious.”
The way she talks feels mysterious too, but let’s not dwell on it. Magic girls themselves are bundles of mystery after all.
Anyway, I’m hungry, so let’s head towards Numazu.
To get to Numazu, we use the teleporter at the dormitory to jump to the general commercial district, and then walk from there.
Though I don’t feel as many stares as when I first came here, there are still some people who look at us intently.
Numazu’s old signboard and its appearance haven’t changed since last time, and if I didn’t know any better, I definitely wouldn’t have entered it.
Entering Numazu with Take Mikadzuchi, we were led by a fairy guide to a private room, where I let out a sigh of relief.
“There are already two others living in the dorms, but they said they would have dinner at the branch office today, so it’s a bit lonely, but there’s nothing to be done about it.”
Now that I think about it, among the rookies, three of them live in the dorms besides me.
Take Mikadzuchi is in front of me… I’m sure I confirmed their name once, but I can’t recall it now.
Even if I don’t know, it’s not a problem, so let’s move on…
First, let’s decide what to eat.
“Do you often come here, Inie?”
“This is only my second time. Since becoming a magical girl just over a month ago, I haven’t been to the Fairy Realm much.”
Yeah, even though it’s been just over a month, so much has happened. What’s up with M·D·W?
Back then, they were talking about some final boss or something, but that was clearly the ultimate boss.
I wish I could think that I’ve used up all my bad luck back then.
“Ah, yes. That’s right. I forgot because I was watching the perfect coordination between you and Marin.”
At the very least, basic teamwork and covering for others are essential for adults. There was no issue in syncing with Marin.
Marin was cutting down most of the monsters with one swing, so my role was mainly using magic to fill in the gaps.
Using high-powered spells doesn’t always feel satisfying, but spamming weaker ones isn’t bad either.
Well, I can’t use such powerful magic now since I don’t have my staff…
“I plan to order the Numata Special. Have you decided yet, Take Mikadzuchi?”
I’ve been meaning to try the Numata Special since the last time I came.
Personally, I’m curious about what makes this “special” given there’s nothing particularly special about Numata.
The menu image is hidden, so I’m unsure what will come out.
“I’ll have the Komagawa Set. The pudding dessert is exceptional~”
She has a cute smile, but this person is actually taller than me… it’s a little frustrating.
Dessert… sometimes sweets are nice, but personally, I’d rather calm myself with coffee.
The stress from that Demon’s laughter outweighs the fatigue.
After ordering through the panel, all we can do is wait for the food to arrive.
“Does Inie belong to any branch?”
“I’m a stray. As of now, I have no intention of joining one. How about you, Take Mikadzuchi?”
“I’m officially part of the Tohoku Branch. Still climbing the ranks, though. By the way, you can call me Mika-chan.”
I refuse… well, I’ll call you that. Calling strangers with -chan feels embarrassingly awkward.
“How’s the academy going? You made me laugh on the first day, but are you settling in alright?”
Honestly, the reason I’m at the academy is to escape from Thalagong and to bide my time until something happens with my staff. I don’t intend to stay long.
As a male inside this body, there’s no way I can act overly friendly.
Without my staff, reaching the top rank is a pipe dream.
“Yeah, I think it’s fine.”
“Good. There are some fools and dimwits there too. If anything happens, you can rely on me as the committee president.”
By the way, why is Marin called the committee president? Now that I think about it, I should ask.
‘Oh, that’s because Marin is both the strongest and the most serious, so that’s how the nickname stuck.’
(Geez, couldn’t you have kept that topic alive for me?)
Just figuring out what to talk about is tough enough…
Do you understand how awkward those moments of silence are?
To put it mildly, it’s hell.
Fortunately, the food we ordered arrived just in time.
Mika-chan’s Komagawa Set turned out to be a single-plate hamburger meal.
It’s like… a kids’ meal. Let’s keep quiet about that.
My Numata Special consists of a pork cutlet set with two slices of apple pie and baked manjuu.
I’m not sure what makes it “special,” but it looks delicious, so I won’t dwell on it.
Indeed, it’s delicious.
But… the portion size is quite large.
I can’t help but calculate how much I could eat with my original body… but it seems I can finish everything without leftovers.
“Mm, the pudding really is delicious~ Oh, Inie?”
“Mm? What is it?”
“Isn’t eating too slow?”
Marin said the same thing before.
Compared to when I was male, it does feel slower, but is it really that noticeable?
(Am I really that slow?)
‘Honestly, painfully slow. Like a sloth.’
So, am I as slow as a sloth?
Guess that’s another downside of becoming a girl.
10 minutes later than Mika-chan, I finally finished eating.
“This place serves surprisingly good food despite its appearance. Anyway, Inie, I have a small favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Next week, I have my first C-class monster extermination mission, and I was wondering if you could watch over me?”
There’s no problem with keeping watch, but why me? Don’t they have seniors from the Tohoku Branch?
‘Ah, apparently the ranking battles in the Tohoku Branch are intense, and rookies tend to get pushed down harshly.’
(So that’s what they mean by pushing down?)
‘It’s like “Accidents happen!” Or maybe “Legal as long as no one finds out?”‘
Is it the fault of the magical girls or the Magic Bureau…?
While I’m currently underpowered against monsters, I should be able to handle other magical girls easily.
Though I dislike magical girls in general, helping those who ask for it is part of being an adult.
“If I’m acceptable, sure.”
“Yay! Thank you so much. Since I’m still new, I’m scared for my first mission. Being a stray means there’s no jealousy from other branches, so it’s reassuring.”
Hopefully, nothing happens, but judging from the Demon’s reaction, something unpleasant might occur…
In the worst case, I’ll deal with it… No, I’ll figure it out when the time comes. Let’s not worry about it.
“By the way, how about some post-dinner exercise with some training?”
“Sure, but in simulation mode?”
“I’d prefer actual combat practice instead of simulation, considering next week’s mission.”
Hmph. Then I’ll cast spells, and Mika-chan can dodge or defend herself.
Mika-chan uses a giant chakram as her weapon and employs lightning as auxiliary magic. Recently, she seems like a proper magical girl… right?
Frankly, there are even newcomers making me question the definition of a magical girl…
Anyway, Mika-chan apparently struggles with handling her oversized chakram properly.
Apparently, she’s been thinking night and day about how to improve that.
I see. Then this will be quick.
“I’ll cast spells, so please block or evade them with all your might.”
After finishing dinner at Numazu, instead of using the academy’s simulator, we moved to an actual training ground.
I had permission from Mr. Prizes, so it’s not unauthorized use.
Just in case, I chose a grassy area, but I wonder how battered it will become…
Still, here, using magic shouldn’t cause problems, and if the worst happens and someone gets injured, I can heal them.
We picked a location where no one else would be around, so even if she shouts, it’s fine.
“Alright. Since I’m the one asking, bring it on!”
“Water, transform into bullets.”
I fired water orbs at Mika-chan in random trajectories.
She looked surprised, but getting wet is harmless if they hit.
“Huff! Huff! Not good! Chakra Wall!”
Initially, she managed to dodge skillfully, but eventually, she spun her chakram, creating a wall-like defense to block the water orbs.
Since she defended successfully, I’ll step it up a notch.
“Four elements, form into spheres appropriately.”
Randomized elemental spheres attacked Mika-chan, occasionally hitting her.
“Stop! Stop, please!”
After roughly ten minutes, Mika-chan, who was now scorched, soaked, and dirty, requested a break.
“Judging from what I saw, it seems like there’s a mismatch between your body size and the weapon’s size.”
Her movements felt jerky and inconsistent.
More flexibility or the strength to wield the chakram effectively would make a difference.
“Before that, isn’t there something you should say about my current state?”
“Heal… Heal me!”
Mika-chan was enveloped in a soft green light, instantly healing her wounds and cleaning her up.
“Wow! So Inie can also heal! This was a great decision asking you for next week!”
“Then let’s continue. The better you can defend against my spells, the higher your survival rate will be.”
“Y-Yes! I’m still okay!”
Both Marin and Mika-chan…
While there are good magical girls, there are still plenty of trashy ones within the magical girl community and the Magic Bureau…
It would make me happy if more magical girls like this one emerged, but good magical girls tend to fall in battle.
Maybe it’s the result of fighting monsters, or maybe it’s something else.
This day ended with about an hour of training interspersed with breaks before we parted ways.
Or rather, since Mika-chan was too exhausted to move, I left her behind and went home first.
On my way out, she threw a tantrum demanding my magical girl-specific SNS ID, so I reluctantly gave it to her.
Incidentally, I tried carrying her back, but later the Demon cried!
I’d like to say that taking a bath and sleeping ends the day, but the Demon picked up some interesting information.
(Is that true?)
‘The info online includes photos, so it’s probably accurate. Shouldn’t we check it out before the fight ends?’
Conflict between magical girls. The location is Fukushima…
What a perfect or perhaps terrible timing…
Why not go for reconnaissance and work ahead of next week?
After resting briefly for about an hour of training, we disbanded.