Teacher, I Am Actually a Villainous Magical Girl

It wasn't until the cake was finished that she picked up a piece with her fork and carefully tucked it into her mouth:

"..."

Hina chewed the cake slowly, then swallowed it.

"Is it good?"

"It's good."

Her younger sister nodded and obediently ate the next piece. Kirishima Ai just watched her eat the cake, and after a while, Hina asked:

"Big sister, how is Little Vermilion doing?"

Little Vermilion was a bird that Hina kept.

Although it was called Vermilion, it actually only had a few red feathers on the top of its head; everything else was white.

The reason it was named Vermilion was because the protagonist of the cartoon they watched when they were little was named Magical Girl Vermilion.

Kirishima Ai wasn't quite sure about the bird's situation because their mother was the one taking care of it.

She hadn't seen their mother in a long time.

"Mom is taking care of Little Vermilion. I'll ask Mom for you later, Hina."

Hina nodded gently.

After a while, watching Hina finish the cake, Kirishima Ai rested her chin on her hand and asked her gently:

"Don't you want to watch some TV?"

"Okay."

Kirishima Ai turned on the small television in the hospital room.

On it was a program about magical girls.

Magical girls were one of the hottest topics on the internet, and ever since their existence was confirmed, there had been many more programs about them on television.

What was playing now happened to be a show about the magical girls of Maple Plain City.

Maple Plain City was the place where the Villain Organization was most active, and it was also where the magical girls were most active.

There were already three confirmed magical girls still operating in Maple Plain City.

Silver Feather, Star Flower, and one unnamed magical girl.

The last one was the magical girl that Takanashi Shiori transformed into.

And there was the strongest magical girl in Maple Plain City who had been active three years ago—Magical Girl Phantom Wind.

However, the one who appeared most frequently in footage and news currently was still Magical Girl Silver Feather.

On TV, they seemed to be ranking the most popular catchphrases of magical girls.

For example, the famous quote from Magical Girl Phantom Wind:

"I won't let anyone who makes this city cry get away."

And the one Star Flower often had on her lips:

"Using magic to bring smiles~"

By comparison, Silver Feather's popularity could only be considered average, because other than being a workaholic, she didn't seem to have any defining characteristics.

Kirishima Ai couldn't really say she had any complaints about that.

But unexpectedly, the line that ranked first in the end was Silver Feather's.

On the screen, they were playing footage of Silver Feather's first time being active in Maple Plain City.

The magical girl looked a bit overwhelmed, yet also a little happy as she said:

"--I will become your hero."

Kirishima Ai felt a little embarrassed, especially with her younger sister right there.

However, looking at the magical girl on the TV screen, Hina suddenly said:

"Big sister, you said those words before, too."

Kirishima Ai froze for a moment, then her face turned a little red:

"Is... is that so?"

"If only you were really a magical girl." Hina lowered her head, her tone filled with disappointment.

Kirishima Ai looked at her, not knowing how to answer for a moment, and could only respond in a slightly dejected manner:

"...Yeah."

Hina finished the cake, gently set down her spoon, and then looked up, continuing to watch the magical girls on TV, her eyes filled with an indescribable longing or something else.

She suddenly said:

"Big sister, why am I not a magical girl?"

"Hm?"

"Why did Magical Girl Silver Feather and the others become magical girls, but I didn't... Is there something different about them compared to me?"

Her gaze was incredibly dim as she said this.

Kirishima Ai opened her mouth, but she couldn't find the words to say anything.

Her younger sister was no different from those magical girls.

It was just that...

--She was the one who became a magical girl.

Chapter 39: Minions of the Devil King

Kirishima Ai had become a magical girl, but even now, she was unable to restore Hina to health.

Even though she had said back then that she would be her sister's hero, in reality, she hadn't actually accomplished anything.

She couldn't answer Hina's question.

In the past, whenever the topic of magical girls came up, Hina would quickly cheer up and flash a smile again.

But now...

It was precisely because magical girls truly existed in the world that a girl who couldn't become one would feel lost and dejected.

Because she knew clearly that she wasn't one of the chosen children.

In truth, from Kirishima Ai's perspective, the others who could become magical girls didn't have anything special about them either; at the very least, she herself didn't.

Therefore, they were simply a bit luckier.

Sometimes, Kirishima Ai would wonder if she had stolen the luck that belonged to her sister...

She shook her head, deciding not to dwell on such pointless thoughts anymore.

Kirishima Ai looked up:

"Um... do you want to hear a story about Magical Girl Silver Feather? She's done quite a few things recently, you know."

She tried to change the subject.

In the past, her sister had been very interested in Magical Girl Silver Feather, and among all the magical girls in Maple Plain City, Silver Feather had always been her favorite.

This made Kirishima Ai very happy.

She would be perfectly content as long as she could be her sister's hero.

But this time, Hina shook her head:

"I don't want to hear about her."

"...Why?"

Hina was no longer looking at the television screen; instead, she lowered her head:

"I... hate Silver Feather the most."

Kirishima Ai froze.

Hina didn't notice Kirishima Ai's expression and simply continued:

"Because... among the people she saves, there is no me..."

She knew this was selfish and willful.

But every time she watched Silver Feather showing off her skills on television while she herself had to remain lying in this hospital bed, she couldn't help but have such thoughts.

Magical girls in anime were different from those in reality.

The ones in anime didn't exist; they were just fictional.

But magical girls truly and definitely existed.

After a while, Hina looked up and saw that Kirishima Ai looked very dejected, and she realized she had said something strange:

"I'm sorry... I've been a bit strange lately."

Kirishima Ai simply leaned in close, hugged Hina, and shook her head:

"It's not Hina's fault."

That's right, it wasn't her sister who was wrong.

"Silver Feather is indeed... a terrible magical girl."

Kirishima Ai said softly, her tone gentle, yet it sounded a bit like she was talking to herself.

The only one at fault was Magical Girl Silver Feather.

She hadn't helped her sister.

Even though Hina hadn't done anything wrong at all.

After finishing lunch with her sister, it was about time for Kirishima Ai to leave. She gently closed the door to the hospital room, and just as she was about to walk away, she saw a figure walking toward her from the other end of the hallway.

She glanced up and saw that it was a girl who looked to be of high school age.

She was a beautiful girl with a white side-ponytail and deep blue eyes, giving off an elegant and composed impression.

Although she couldn't have been much older than her, she wore a light blue suit, possessing an unexpectedly mature and intellectual aura.

She looked a bit familiar...

After a moment, Kirishima Ai recalled who this girl was.

She remembered her name was Qingchuan Lan, a celebrity at Kaedehara High School who served as the vice president of the student council; it was said she was also a wealthy young lady.

Did she happen to know someone in a nearby ward as well?

However, the other girl likely didn't know her.

It was just a passing thought, and Kirishima Ai didn't pay her any more mind, simply walking away.

Not long after Kirishima Ai left, Qingchuan Lan opened the door to the ward where Kirishima Ai's younger sister was staying.

Qingchuan Lan quickly spotted the girl inside the room.

Hina seemed to be feeling unwell again, dry-heaving into a trash can while coughing in a disheveled state.

Qingchuan Lan merely smiled, gently pulled the door shut, and then bowed to the girl on the hospital bed—

"Lord Devil King, the Blue Dream Apostle welcomes your return."

Following Qingchuan's words, the already dim ward suddenly darkened by several degrees, and the lights flickered on and off, appearing somewhat eerie.

The previously frail Hina now lifted her head, her expression turning cold and aloof.

Behind her, black mist began to billow out, gradually shrouding the entire ward like a crushing pressure.

Hina's entire demeanor had undergone a transformation.

Resting her chin in one hand, she looked down at Qingchuan from the hospital bed with a casual gaze:

"Are you my apostle?"