Chapter 124

This woman seems a little lonely tonight.

To be honest, she didn't expect this woman to send her such a message, as she would usually be more indifferent.

Can you chat with me?

For some reason, Takanashi a little happy.

Her two long, fair legs swayed unconsciously as she dried her wet hair with a towel while writing a reply text message to the woman.

[Perfect timing, I'm quite free too.]

Looks like tonight won't be too boring.

Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Transaction

Haihara had no idea that her few text messages that night had kept several young high school girls awake all night.

The next morning, on a park bench, popular idol Sakaki Chika, dressed casually and wearing sunglasses, looked around and, after not seeing anyone else, sat down.

It's the weekend, but because there seem to be more attacks on citizens in this area recently, there are fewer people around than usual.

Sakaki Chika is waiting for someone today.

As for who we're waiting for...

After sitting on the bench for a while, she saw a girl wearing sunglasses slowly walking towards her from not far away at the other end of the street, but the girl was much taller and more mature than her.

She was a girl with long black hair who was still wearing her Kaedehara High School uniform during the holidays.

Upon seeing Sakaki Chika, the black-haired girl naturally walked over to her and sat down.

After sitting down, the black-haired girl wearing sunglasses took out a thick envelope from her pocket, and handed it to Sakaki Chika without turning her head at all.

Sakaki Chika, as if on cue, took the envelope and carefully opened it to take out its contents.

It was a stack of photographs.

"This is Teacher Haihara from a few years ago..."

The photo shows a slightly more youthful Teacher Haihara compared to now, with short hair that only reaches her neck. She appears taciturn, and her clothing style is also quite different from now.

Although she doesn't have the mature charm she has now, this fresh feeling still makes Sakaki Chika's heart flutter.

Sakaki Chika unconsciously started to chuckle.

"Cough cough."

The black-haired girl next to her pretended to remind her.

This brought Sakaki Chika back to her senses. She carefully put the envelope away, then took out an envelope from her own pocket and handed it to the black-haired girl.

Compared to Sakaki Chika, the black-haired girl was much more elegant, but after taking the photo out of the envelope, she still admired it with some interest.

"The photos are pretty good."

She nodded in approval.

Most of these photos of Sakaki Chika are of Haihara during breaks in the school classroom, while others were taken during school events.

The most exquisite photo is of Teacher Haihara resting at the podium during lunchtime, looking drowsy.

Without a doubt, this black-haired girl wearing sunglasses is Haihara's eldest daughter, Kazama Kiriori.

This was a small deal between them.

After carefully collecting the photos that Sakaki Chika had given her, Kazama Kiriori noticed that Sakaki Chika had turned her head away.

"Um... President, why are you wearing sunglasses?"

Although she herself was wearing sunglasses.

Moreover, the president seemed rather listless today.

I seem very sleepy.

Upon hearing this, Kazama Kiriori took off her sunglasses, and then Sakaki Chika saw that President Kazama's beautiful, narrow eyes had slightly tired dark circles, making her look like she hadn't slept all night.

He looks to be in pretty bad shape.

Why are you wearing sunglasses? Are you afraid of being recognized by fans?

Kazama Kiriori put her sunglasses back on expressionlessly.

Sakaki Chika shook her head, silently took off her sunglasses, revealing the same tired look as someone who hadn't slept all night.

While being easily recognizable is partly due to this, it's mostly because of his appearance.

Seeing her like this, Kazama Kiriori remained silent for a while;

"Could it be that you also..."

"You wouldn't happen to be one of them too..."

The two spoke almost simultaneously.

But it quickly came to an abrupt end, and they tacitly maintained their silence.

It seems that both of them hadn't been able to fall asleep last night for some reason.

Kazama Kiriori and Sakaki Chika averted their gazes and then both lowered their heads.

In short, for various reasons, their relationship was not as strained as it had been at the beginning. Instead, when they were both helpless against each other, they compromised and made some small deals.

After exchanging photos, Kazama Kiriori looked up and around, noticing that there seemed to be no one around.

This place used to be quite crowded.

"It's a bit quiet here today."

She sighed casually.

Sakaki Chika also looked up, and after thinking for a while, said:

"I've heard that... recently several people in this area have been collapsing for unknown reasons, possibly similar to the modus operandi of the serial crimes from a few months ago, which is why fewer people are coming here."

It's fair to say that the security situation in this area has been quite bad lately.

However, the explanation of "unknown cause" is truly perplexing, considering that there are surveillance cameras installed in the area, and he didn't collapse in some secluded place.

When things become inexplicable, it's usually attributed to Monster.

However, Sakaki Chika herself is Magic girl, and she is completely unaware of the recent cases.

"Um..."

After hearing Sakaki Chika's words, President Kazama seemed somewhat absent-minded.

"President?"

"Nothing."

Kazama Kiriori shook her head.

"It seems like something similar happened a few years ago," she said calmly, gently fiddling with her fingers.

"A few years ago?"

Sakaki Chika had only heard about it a few months ago at most.

"Several Monster incidents occurred at Kaedehara High School, when I was a freshman."

Kazama Kiriori casually brought up the matter.

That incident was actually quite well-known at the time because of its serious nature and extent. If it hadn't been properly resolved and handled, the school itself might have faced a major crisis.

However, people gradually forgot about it.

Even though it's only been less than three years.

"At that time, I was probably... in the first year of junior high school?"

Sakaki Chika didn't remember what Kazama Kiriori had said.

After all, she was still very young at that time, and it was a time when her family was on the verge of collapse. Her father gradually became addicted to gambling, losing all the family's possessions little by little, while her mother often went out at night and did not come home.

"A terrible thing happened back then. Even the Magic girls didn't know what to do. One incident can involve many problems, not just the school, but even the teachers..."

As she spoke, Kazama Kiriori seemed to recall something.

Sakaki Chika blinked.

Three years ago, if I think about it carefully, it seems that the most popular genre back then was Magic girl Phantom Wind.

Was there an incident at that time where even Phantom Wind didn't know what to do?

Seemingly realizing she had said too much, Kazama Kiriori quickly stopped talking, slowly stood up from the bench, and prepared to leave.

Looking at the president, Sakaki Chika hesitated for a moment, then whispered:

"Um... President, please be careful on the road."

Just as she finished speaking, a loud bang suddenly came from not far from the street.

Sakaki Chika Kazama Kiriori both looked up into the distance, and then saw smoke rising from the other side of the street. The smoke was still spreading, as if an explosion had occurred there.

Nearby, following the sound of the explosion, alarms were quickly raised that the Monster had appeared.

As a resident of Maple Plain City, it goes without saying that it seems Monster has appeared in this area.

Sakaki Chika instinctively reached into her bag, wanting to transform and defeat the Monster, but remembering that President Kazama was nearby, she stopped and decided to wait until they were separated before transforming.

But when he looked up at the president, he saw that the other party was very calm and said gently:

"Thank you, please take care on your journey."

She quickly gave Sakaki Chika some space and didn't show any panic despite the Monster incident happening nearby, which made Sakaki Chika a little strange.

However, after the president left, Sakaki Chika didn't have time to think about these things. She took out her transformation device from her bag and removed the Pendulum from her neck...

On this ordinary morning, the Magic girls are setting out again.

Chapter Fifty-Nine Good Morning

It seems that Haihara hasn't seen Kougami Kage for quite some time.

That morning, shortly after she woke up, she received a text message from Kougami Kage saying that he had driven downstairs.

Her hometown isn't far away; it's actually in the old town of Maple Plain City, and it only takes a little over an hour to drive there.

When Haihara goes back to her hometown every year, she usually stays for a little over a day, at least one night. During that time, she can clean the old house and go to some familiar places around the area.

However, when she went back last year, the area around her old home had been mostly relocated, and it was almost completely different from what she remembered.

Upon learning that Kougami Kage had arrived downstairs, Haihara made a phone call to Kougami Kage.

Good morning, Lily.

A mature woman's voice came from the other end of the phone.

Hearing her childhood friend's familiar voice, Haihara asked a simple question;

"Did you have breakfast?"

[No.]

The answer was no.

"I'm actually not ready yet. Why don't you come upstairs and wait for me? I'll make you breakfast."

While Kougami Kage, Haihara was looking in the mirror at her underwear for the day.

Kougami Kage arrived a bit too early. They had agreed to meet at nine o'clock, but it was only a little before eight. Haihara had just woken up and hadn't even had time to change her clothes.

[Did Lily make breakfast? I want some.]

The childhood sweetheart's tone sounded very expectant.

Just as Haihara finished changing her underwear and putting on her jeans, there was a knock on her door. Perhaps still a little sleepy from just waking up, Haihara walked to the door and opened it.

As soon as the door opened, the usually slovenly and languid beauty smiled softly and said:

"Lily, I'm here..."

She was only halfway through her sentence when she saw Haihara's current appearance and froze on the spot.