『We got bugged』
The moment those words left the pink rabbit's mouth, the four girls in the room stirred with unease.
"Bugged? What do you mean? Is it the youmas?"
Airi asked first, concern and curiosity tangled in her voice.
"Probably..."
The pink rabbit muttered under her breath, hopping softly through the air toward Chie, gaze fixed on her hand.
"I noticed it the moment I entered the room—no, ever since you two started acting strange. I simply had no proof. But now... all my doubts have been cleared."
The pink rabbit leaned closer.
"This black dot on the back of your hand... this is all too familiar to me."
"Is it dangerous?"
Hibana narrowed her eyes.
"Potentially. Whoever placed it wished to pry into these two's lives."
The pink rabbit spoke plainly.
"It's just prying—what's the big deal? It's not like they could see into it or travel here."
Miru scoffed, resting both hands behind her head as she sank into the couch.
"They could..."
"..."
With those words, the room fell deathly silent.
"Worse yet... they could likely communicate with these two as well."
The pink rabbit spat the words like venom.
"If that's the case, why didn't you tell us, rabbit?!"
Miru shot to her feet, fists clenched.
"This could've been disastrous! Is the reason Chie shrieked just now because whoever placed that thing spoke to her?!"
Miru ground her teeth, her glare boring into the rabbit with pure hatred.
The pink rabbit flinched, then turned toward Chie and Airi.
"W-We're not in trouble... right?"
Airi let out a nervous laugh.
"Trouble? You two are potentially traitors."
Hibana's voice cut like ice.
"T-Traitors?! We would never side with the youmas!"
Chie cried out.
"Those marks prove you've made contact."
Hibana spoke softly, yet coldly.
"I-I'm not... See, Airi? I told you... I told you that big older sister was sketchy! You didn't believe me!"
Chie's voice trembled.
"I... I thought you were just kidding."
Airi forced a nervous smile, trying to calm Chie down.
But then—
Chie slapped Airi's hand away.
"I wasn't kidding!! I kept telling you that older sister was off! That she felt wrong! That I could sense youma energy from her..."
Tears welled in Chie's eyes.
"But nobody believed me! Nobody!"
Chie stood, unable to meet anyone's gaze.
"Chie... calm down. It's not that we didn't believe you."
The pink rabbit's voice turned gentle and steady.
"It's just... you have to remember, we live in an era of peace. Claims like sensing youma energy are not taken lightly."
Chie slowly turned toward the pink rabbit...
Ah...
So even she doesn't...
『Oh my... so this is camaraderie in this day and age? If the old magical girls could see this, they'd surely laugh... tsk, tsk, tsk... so this is how unified the world's symbol of hope truly is.』
In an instant, the room fell utterly silent.
Every person froze—eyes wide, lips pale.
The voice that cut through the chaos was sweet, gentle, almost intoxicating, almost seductive... dangerous.
And none of them recognized this voice. All except one.
The pink rabbit narrowed its eyes at the small black marks on Chie and Airi's hands, and it all came rushing back.
"This voice... it's—"
『Mhm, nice to meet you... Lya.』
The same saccharine voice answered the pink rabbit.
"W-Who are you?!"
Miru demanded.
『Fufu, I'm simply someone who believes this world is beyond saving... utterly stagnated. But don't worry. Soon enough, I will reclaim what was stolen from me.』
With those words, the black marks on Chie and Airi's hands vanished.
"They disappeared."
Hibana's mouth hung open, watching the tiny specks fade into nothing.
"Who was that?"
Miru asked again—this time directing her question at the pink rabbit, who could offer no reply... only stare at the floor, trembling in fear.