Chapter 444

Generally speaking, can those kinds of injuries be healed simply by restoring Magic Power?

Inside the research institute, Kirishima Ai pondered to herself for a while:

"... It's really worrying."

Inside the research institute, several Problem Child were visibly listless.

While I can understand President Kazama's feelings, Kirishima Ai has a feeling that it's not just what just happened, which is very worrying.

She exchanged a glance with Sakaki Chika.

"I'll go follow and check it out, just in case."

Although the president has always been more mature and intelligent than them.

But Kirishima Ai also vaguely sensed it.

It seems that President Kazama is never so calm when it comes to Teacher Haihara.

Outside the research institute, the Maple Plain City was unusually quiet today.

But the crisis facing this city has already begun its countdown.

In a "World Apart" almost identical to the city of Maple Plain, but occupied by Flower Monster, the demonic tree grows taller and taller...

It grows towards the horizon.

And the chaotic and indistinct self deep within people's hearts also transforms into light bubbles, drifting to higher and farther places.

Chapter 198 The Transformation of Childishness

Kazama Kiriori felt a little cold.

Winter is cold enough as it is.

She's always been a little sensitive to the cold, and if possible, it's best to stay home at times like this, but now, she can't comfortably stay home.

Her ears are still ringing; the world keeps nagging at her.

Come to think of it, it seems like it's been like this ever since we brought Mom home a while ago. Ever since then, she's never been at peace, and everything she does is a mess.

My mind has never been clear.

But now, reality is like a bucket of cold water poured over her head.

To be honest, she hasn't figured out what she's thinking yet.

What exactly did she do wrong in all of this?

It seems completely wrong, yet it's also a bit hard to understand.

If I had to say, she only has one thought in her head right now.

I feel so awful.

Now is not the time to give up.

Kazama Kiriori decided to put everything out of her mind for the time being.

After leaving Takanashi and the others, Kazama Kiriori eventually found Ryo in a place that was both unexpected and yet not unexpected.

As always, the person stood on the balcony of Haihara's house, looking at the still snow wind with a faint melancholy on their face.

She stood gently on the balcony railing, looking down at the tall woman whose face vaguely resembled Haihara's.

"You're here."

Liang was not surprised by her arrival.

"Since you're all busy, I'll just feed Lily's snake."

The woman touched her arm, seemingly feeling a bit cold herself. Her indifferent face made it impossible to tell what she was thinking; everything seemed perfectly natural.

"It must be cold outside, why don't you come inside?"

Magic girls also feel cold, but they don't shiver because of it.

Kazama Kiriori followed her into the house, where a kettle was boiling water and a snake in a glass cabinet was hissing.

She deactivated her transformation to conserve her Magic Power.

Then, her eyebrows drooped involuntarily; the wounds on her body still hurt.

Liang walked to her side:

"Let me see."

Her slightly light-colored eyes showed concern at this moment.

"Your wounds are almost healed. Your health problems are more serious than I thought."

Saying it's cold seems contradictory.

Kazama glanced down at his blood-stained clothes:

"You seem to have reminded me of this before?"

"Um."

"However, that's not important right now." Kazama pinched the bloodstain on his clothes; the skin there no longer showed any signs of a wound.

Liang did not refute.

The living room was very quiet.

There was only the sound of snakes, but only Liang paid any attention to it now.

"Then let's talk while we're treating her." Ryo acted very responsiblely at this Kazama Kiriori, pressing Kazama Kiriori down on the sofa before she could say anything, and waiting for Kazama Kiriori to recount what had happened during this time.

This woman seemed to know everything.

But that's precisely why it's puzzling.

Kazama Kiriori was slightly bothered that her blood had stained the house, but she didn't have time to think about that now.

Although it seemed like no one had time to care about these injuries at a time like this, as the pain healed, Kazama Kiriori felt her anxious heart improve slightly.

She obediently accepted the elder's help and then explained why she had come there.

The cold wind outside had fallen silent.

The buzzing restlessness melted into the stagnant cold air, waiting to flow again.

Kazama Kiriori seemed slightly lost in thought while narrating.

However, she didn't think there would be any problem.

She looked at Liang and thought to herself: Liang probably already knows everything, just like before.

After regaining her composure, she summarized the situation.

"... That's it. I failed to protect my mother; she was taken away by the Flower Demon King."

She told Liang everything that had happened during this time.

Afterwards, she raised her tired and bewildered eyes, wanting Liang to tell her how she had been doing during this time.

Liang sat on the sofa, gazing at the lazy little snake lying in the box.

"Would you assist me?"

Kazama Kiriori asked, with little hope.

She didn't actually think Liang would agree to her request.

Although Liang was her teacher, he would never help her in this kind of situation.

There was one such instance before.

She failed in her duties as a Magic girl, dragging her mother into danger. She hoped that catching a cold wouldn't solve everything, but at least it could help Haihara.

After all, Ryo cared about and valued Haihara just as much as she did, and for Ryo, this was almost entirely her own business.

But Liang does nothing at times like this, and is even more indifferent than usual.

Ryo only offered her a little help, then left everything to Kazama Kiriori herself.

At that time, she couldn't understand or accept it at all.

Their relationship became strained as a result.

"If I refuse, what are you planning to do this time?"

Liang did not give an immediate answer.

In the past, Kazama Kiriori would probably have tried to beg and plead incessantly, but now that she knows it's useless, she won't waste her time.

Kazama Kiriori thought for a while this time:

"Then... I'll just have to try my best myself."

She would do it even if she had to do it all by herself.

In fact, even now, her mind is blank; she doesn't know what she's thinking or what she's saying.

Feeling a little dazed?

"Then this time, if you don't do a good job, I'll take care of it." Ryo seemed to realize that Kazama Kiriori, and she gently patted Kazama Kiriori's arm.

Kazama Kiriori paused for a moment, a confused expression on her face.

I agreed...

It sounds like even if I make a mistake again, my mother will be safe.

Her panic subsided slightly.

"So... if I disappeared right now, you would go and save Mom and the others?" She looked at Liang with confusion and a lack of confidence.

Even Liang was stunned by these words:

"You seem a bit out of it today, what are you thinking about?"

What are you thinking about?

It's quite cold.

And my body had been in pain for a while.

She hadn't thought of any of this before; although she was clearly sensing it, it didn't feel real.

But now I'm starting to... realize it.

Hearing this question felt like all the things that had been Kazama Kiriori over the past few days had suddenly come flooding back.

Kazama Kiriori suddenly felt a lump in her throat.

She lowered her head.

She endured it, maintaining her usual composure, and began to utter incoherent words:

"Today... I feel very cold, and I'm also injured. I'm not feeling well right now. Even though the injury has healed, it still hurts, and my favorite clothes are dirty."

Everything was terrible today.

"No, not just today, recently... everything, including myself, is a mess, and I haven't done anything well."

She thought back to herself a while ago.

Cold and oblivious, completely blinded by fear, he messed everything up.

The light in Kazama Kiriori's eyes was somewhat blurry and disheveled.

"A while ago, I was planning to spend Christmas with my mom, and I had already prepared my present... I wanted to talk to her about moving back in together and my plans after graduation."

"I have everything prepared."

But everything that happened was a complete mess for her.

Their Christmas is gone.

In her life with Haihara, one day was missing, followed by many more.

There wasn't much to begin with, so it couldn't satisfy anyone.