Can Witches Be Saved?

(Ceruno)

Her name is Jaeger.

Miluno introduced me to the "scandalous student" that Heat Haze had mentioned.

She was the Jet Witch who got instantly killed last night; I didn't recognize her because she was wearing a school uniform.

Miss Jaeger was exceptionally slender, her delicate wrists resembling easily broken branches. Because the bodysuit itself was quite thick, she didn't appear so frail before.

"He looks a little... pathetic?"

As I asked this, Miss Jaeger, who was eating a sausage sandwich, coldly replied, "This is the result of my own pursuit. I can modify my body to a certain extent; removing excess mass will allow me to fly faster... I don't need the enemy's sympathy."

Huh? Enemies?

The tone sounds hostile?

Is she unhappy because she feels I looked down on her?

Miluno, however, mocked:

"Hmph, the result of excessive pursuit of lightweight design is that you can wear battle armor and still have your spine broken by my single kick? A fragile assassin?"

"You're faster than me; it was my mistake to get close so rashly."

"You can't hit me unless you get close, and besides, I'm not entirely without anti-air strategies..."

Miluno looked at me again as she spoke.

"Ceruno, I want to try and see if I can turn her back into a human."

"Huh? Is that even possible?"

Once you become a witch, there's no way to turn back into a magical girl; this was information I received from Fomalhaut.

But Miluno put her hand on Jaeger and said, "We can't turn her back into the original Jaeger, but we can turn her into a magical girl with the mind of a 'witch.' After all, we have a precedent of turning witches back... twice."

What? Is that true?

Which two times?

Miluno pushed open the door to the empty dormitory next door.

She cleared her throat.

"Ahem, Ceruno, may I ask what the source of a witch's power is?"

"The Black Crystal from 'the Other Side,' and our Star Crystal —the combination of the two grants the witch power far exceeding that of Monster and magical girls. Teacher, am I right?"

"That's right, so the first time, we extracted the Star Crystal from your father's body, thereby forcibly dispelling her witch form."

"Oh, that definitely counts..."

"Then, the second time, we extracted the Black Crystal from Halley, causing her to revert to her Fake Magical Girl state."

"Now that you mention it, it's true..."

Miluno clapped her hands and concluded, "Extracting the Star Crystal requires the Other Side technology, which we can't do yet, but extracting the Dark Energy is something we can do, right? Then, wouldn't a witch who loses her Dark Energy become a magical girl with only the Star Crystal inside her?"

Miluno's theory is actually just simple addition and subtraction.

It is known that Star Crystal = Magical Girl;

And Star Crystal + Black Crystal = Witch;

Therefore, Witch - Black Crystal = Magical Girl.

"But won't doing this have any consequences?"

When I asked that question, Miluno simply passed the question to Miss Jaeger.

"Jaeger, do you know what will happen to you if you lose your Dark Energy?"

"I don't know. My life comes from a great will. Without what you call Dark Energy... I might die."

Miss Jaeger spoke terrifying words with a blank expression.

"Will I die?!"

I looked at Miluno, but she seemed completely unconcerned.

"Then let's see if she really will die, Miluno, put a membrane on her."

"Wait a minute! Are we going to take action right away? Shouldn't we ask Miss SpiCa for permission before doing something so dangerous?"

"No need for that. If anything happens, my magic will cover it up."

Miluno patted the hourglass clipped to her waist.

But I didn't feel at ease, after all, that Dark Energy seemed Time Control, and even broke through my Bubble Membrane several times...

"Are we really going to do this?"

"Certainly."

Miluno's attitude was firm.

"If we succeed, we can save more than just Jaeger. Other witches, including Achernar, will also be able to completely break free from the influence of 'the Other Side' and become magical girls. Then we can let them decide their future paths. After all, although they are witches, each of them has inherited the memories of magical girls. Even if they are different people, they can still continue the lives of their predecessors."

Success would be ideal, but failure means death!

Miluno sighed.

"Sigh, if anything unexpected happens, we'll just put the Black Crystal back in and put Jaeger's life first. Is that alright?"

Is this considered a compromise?

"Okay, fine."

Miss Jaeger silently finished her sandwich, awaiting the experiment to be conducted on herself.

I took out my wand and put a Bubble Membrane around her, but it didn't stop her. This wrap only filtered out Dark Energy; even the Star Crystal could Past...

"I've got it!"

"Hmm--"

Miss Jaeger groaned softly; although she wouldn't resist Miluno's orders, she couldn't avoid the pain.

Then, Miluno's figure blurred and disappeared in an instant, accompanied by a short impact sound, and Miss Jaeger, who was thrown away by the great force, also crashed into her arms.

It's done.

She held Miss Jaeger in one hand and carried the Black Crystal wrapped in Bubble Membrane in the other.

"Jaeger, how are you feeling?"

There was no response, but at least there was breathing, albeit rapidly, more like a reaction to difficulty breathing.

"I won't absorb this Black Crystal until I'm sure she's alright, Ceruno. Carry her to the sofa."

"Yes!"

Miluno stepped aside, carrying the Dark Energy. I picked up the weakened Miss Jaeger and laid her on the sofa. Her body was, as she herself had said, remarkably light, making one almost suspect that her bones were hollow...

That is indeed a possibility.

As is well known, birds evolved hollow skeletons precisely to reduce their weight during flight.

"Miss Jaeger, how are you feeling?"

She shook her head weakly.

Her face was deathly pale, as if she were suffocating. It was only natural that this witch, born with a blend of two powers, would end up like this, having one of her pillars suddenly removed. Dark Energy was essential for her survival; if this continued, her life might be in danger...

"Miluno, something's wrong. Put the Black Crystal back!"

Even as I pleaded, Miluno remained coldly calm.

"Don't rush. Right now, she's like an amphibian that has just left the water, or a newborn baby. She doesn't know how to use 'breathing' magic yet... Give her more magic so she can get used to her identity as a magical girl."

But she could also be a completely aquatic animal?

"Okay, okay then."

I took Miss Jaeger's cold hand and slowly infused it with magic, while Miluno placed her hand on the other's face.

The magic we injected nearly halted the flow of magic within Jaeger's body, and her complexion gradually regained its rosy glow...

Seeing Miss Jaeger's eyes regain their clarity, Miluno finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Jaeger, remember this feeling; you'll be a magical girl from now on."

It's almost the end of the month! Please give me that expired item!