Natsume's hand, which had been propping up her chin, slid downward, her pinky idly hooking a few stray strands of her bangs. She didn't seem all that surprised.
If you can't solve the magic, then deal with the magician who creates it; if you can't deal with the magician, then interrupt their spellcasting.
After several encounters, Natsume had settled on this as her go-to method for handling those strange individuals.
Even an outsider like Natsume knew this much—someone within the circle, like Kanzaki Kaori, would naturally be even more familiar with it.
But perhaps the biggest issue was Meigo-senpai's own wishes.
It was somewhat troubling, to say the least.
Natsume still cared deeply about her friends' feelings.
Truth be told, Natsume really wanted to visit the space elevator and properly enjoy Meigo-senpai's performance.
She'd even bought glow sticks to cheer with—the best kind, no less.
But they'd been damaged back at the clubroom, and the more she thought about it, the more it bothered her.
And now, with the situation suddenly painted as so urgent, even Natsume was growing uneasy.
What do you do at the end of the world?
Are you busy? Will you save us?
Natsume had no interest in saving the world. Saviors would show up on their own—but reality never seemed to give her a chance to escape.
All clues pointed in one direction: the loli president of Orbit Portal Company and the space elevator was undoubtedly the mastermind behind it all.
At first, she'd seemed small and cute, like a delicate doll.
She was incredibly capable, running such a large company, yet her words always felt shrouded in mystery.
Who would have thought she'd plan to destroy the entire northern hemisphere?
You really can't judge a book by its cover. Maybe this was what they meant by "greatness at any age."
Subconsciously, Natsume still saw the loli president as just a child.
"That 'replacement' she mentioned earlier… it couldn't be this magic circle, could it?"
A sudden thought crossed her mind, and Natsume's face went blank with confusion.
It was baffling.
Could it be that in her past life, she'd also been an evil magician, secretly plotting with that Ladylee to destroy the world or something?
Not just that—maybe she'd killed, burned, committed every crime imaginable, and that was why she was now being chased by all sorts of strange people.
It sounded incredibly troublesome. But what did her past self have to do with who she was now?
Natsume couldn't help but mutter under her breath, still sensing that something was seriously off.
But if her past self had been a magician, why couldn't she even understand magic now?
Her mind plunged into another fierce internal debate, though most of her attention remained on the real world.
Sometimes she could be scatterbrained, but Natsume was fairly good at multitasking, so she managed to stay focused.
Kanzaki Kaori's voice still reached her ears.
After suggesting that Meigo-senpai stay away from the space elevator, Kanzaki noticed the uneasy expressions around her.
"Though it may seem unfair to Meigo-san, this is extremely important."
Kanzaki rarely used such a firm tone, so it still sounded more like a discussion.
She had unfastened the two-meter-long blade at her waist and leaned it against the wall, crossing her arms as she rested her shoulder against the same surface.
Kanzaki seldom came across as aggressive; like Natsume on an ordinary day, she usually seemed calm and gentle.
"But… this is a really important opportunity for Meigo-senpai," Natsume said, her expression hesitant.
Though she agreed with Kanzaki-san's approach in her heart, she was still deeply worried for Meigo-senpai.
Natsume was a rational person, but she was also swayed by emotion—often simply following her whims.
"I understand."
As if sensing everyone's concern, Meigo-senpai broke the silence, a determined, optimistic smile appearing on her face.
"Everyone, please don't worry about me. The opening ceremony performance is a great opportunity, but it's not something I absolutely must have."
"If my singing only brings disaster, then persisting would be the real mistake."
As she spoke, her tone grew more sincere, though a trace of uncertainty lingered.
In just two short days, she'd been attacked multiple times and dragged everyone into danger along with her.
Meigo-senpai's dream seemed especially fraught with obstacles—but then again, dreams are meaningful precisely because they're not easy to achieve.
Yet now, she seemed to be doubting herself.
"Please don't lose confidence."
"As long as Arisa keeps singing, whether it's on the streets or anywhere else, I'll support you all the way."
Saten Ruiko stood up, her voice firm and resolute.
Even though Meigo-senpai wore a smile, Saten understood exactly how she felt.
The pain of a shattered dream, the guilt of hurting others because of it—Saten knew that all too well.
The joy of briefly grasping her own ability through the use of the Level Upper, holding that dream in her hands…
The regret and despair she felt after sharing the Level Upper, causing Ayumi and the others to fall unconscious, watching everyone rush around because of her mistakes.
As for whether Meigo-senpai's songs brought happiness or disaster—only those who listened could say.
"Saten-san… thank you."
Meigo-senpai's composure finally broke. Her eyes reddened slightly as she looked gratefully at Saten Ruiko.
"Next time you hold a concert, save me a front-row ticket," Saten said, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly as Meigo-senpai gazed at her.
"Mm."
Meigo-senpai pressed her lips together and nodded gently.
"I want one too," chimed in a certain bun-haired girl.
"Make that two for me—I want seats next to Onee-sama."
"…"
"You're all so forward," Uiharu said, the corners of her eyes crinkling, the flowers in her hair seeming to bloom even brighter.
Light laughter filled the room, lightening the previously heavy atmosphere.
Along with the faint scent of something burnt, there was also the strange, sweet gardenia fragrance coming from Misaka Mikoto.
Originally a light scent, it had become oddly potent after being heated by the flames, making Natsume rub her nose involuntarily.
Speaking of which, even though the dorm supervisor had confiscated all of Misaka-senpai's contraband, the girl had simply gone out and bought new replacements.
"Magic is our area of expertise. We will resolve this matter as quickly as possible. We leave Meigo-san in your care," Kanzaki Kaori said, a gentle smile gracing her features as she nodded to the group.
Given the chance, she'd like to attend a concert by this possible 'Saint'—something about this girl made her feel truly worthy of admiration.
"It's time we took our leave."
After a pause of two or three seconds, Kanzaki spoke softly.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she reached for the long blade beside her, adjusted her loose ponytail, and headed for the door.
By her estimate, Stiyl should have met with that person by now.
If the mastermind behind this incident really was unrelated to that individual, then even if they were playing dumb for some reason, they'd have to make a move after receiving Stiyl's intelligence.
The other magical girls hesitated, glancing at Natsume several times.
They seemed to wrestle with something internally, but in the end, they couldn't reach a decision. Following Kanzaki Kaori, they left with frequent backward glances.
"They seem pretty interested in Natsume-san, don't they?" Uiharu wondered aloud.
"That's because Natsume-san took something that belongs to them."
Shirai Kuroko's wheelchair turned smoothly, coming to a precise stop beside Natsume Sonoko, a slightly odd expression on her face.
That Natsume Sonoko really was such a child sometimes—completely unlike a mature woman like herself.
With Kanzaki-san stepping in, those magical girls were no longer their enemies.
But Natsume clearly still held a grudge.
"When you think about it, all of this feels way too surreal."
"If magic exists, then maybe gods do too? It's just so… unscientific."
Leaning back in her wheelchair, Shirai couldn't help but complain.
She understood Kanzaki's explanation well enough, but it still felt like listening to a myth—as though legends had descended into the real world.
"I think, even if we can't confirm whether magic exists, determining whether the space elevator will really cause a disaster should be straightforward," Uiharu said thoughtfully.
"That red-haired attacker's already been taken in by Anti-Skill headquarters. If this is all true, then Academy City will probably take action soon."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.