Ceruno

(Ceruno)

Instead of having academic classes in the afternoon, we took Miss Jaeger, who had "regressed" into a magical girl, to the branch office for a physical examination.

This is necessary, because although things may look normal, the internal effects on the body cannot be seen with the naked eye.

As for the Black Crystal that was extracted, Miluno consumed it completely, transforming it into her gradually white hair...

Right now, we are waiting on the benches in the rest area for Jaeger to finish his medical examination.

"Miluno."

"Um?"

I would also like to take this opportunity to clarify my own views.

"Although the outcome was good this time, your approach was still too risky!"

"If that's the case, why did you cooperate with me just now?"

"I was only asked to do it by you..."

Miluno forced a bitter smile.

"How should I put it? I knew from the beginning that it would succeed. Although it was my first attempt, it felt like I had done it many times before... Although I couldn't turn the witch back into her original magical girl, it was possible to save the witch herself. By escaping the control of 'that will,' she at least had options."

SpiCa's brainwashing only forced her to obey orders, but did not deprive her of her ability to think. Although she did not react much when she was taken away, Miss Jaeger must have had many thoughts in her mind.

"Although I don't think I did anything wrong, it was inevitable that I would get a severe scolding from SpiCa."

As soon as Miluno finished speaking, Miss SpiCa approached us, guided by Sister Luer, with an apologetic look on her face.

"You knew you were going to get a lecture from me, so you actually have that kind of self-awareness?"

Miluno replied, "Alright, SpiCa, I think I know what you're trying to say."

"Sigh, if you could show me a little more respect for adults, I could calm down."

"Then should I call you 'sister'?"

Miluno handles SpiCa with complete ease, and even knows how to banter.

When Luer saw me, she hugged me affectionately, but I, who was being treated like a giant teddy bear, could only try to defend Miluno.

"Miss SpiCa, turning a witch into a magical girl is actually a good outcome, so please don't blame Miluno."

"Shouldn't such a completely uncertain experiment at least be conducted in a well-equipped research lab? Luckily nothing went wrong, otherwise how would you have ensured Jaeger's safety? Would putting the Black Crystal back in revive her? Who can guarantee that?"

Miluno shrugged in response to Miss SpiCa's aggressive stance.

"You've had the means to try it for a long time, but you've been delaying the experiment. Even if I had told you beforehand, you would still have objected, wouldn't you?"

"Of course we'll object. Our research on witches and darkness is progressing slowly. No one can predict the consequences of rashly removing the Black Crystal. We can't treat witches like guinea pigs, and we can't risk their lives."

SpiCa values the witch who was once a comrade-in-arms, but its research is also built on sacrifice.

Emotion and reason are two opposing forces that cannot be reconciled, and it's hard to say who is right and who is wrong.

Miluno asked, "Let's put that aside for now. How is Anjie doing? If needed, Ceruno and I can extract the Black Crystal from her, Achernar, and the other witches, turning them back into magical girls."

"Let's observe Jaeger for a while before making any decisions about this."

SpiCa shook her head and said, "Anjie's condition has not worsened. Her original consciousness has not yet been fully absorbed by the newly formed witch consciousness. My magic has stabilized their state, and the two personalities are currently coexisting peacefully."

It hasn't worsened, but it hasn't improved either.

"Them? You're planning to keep that Witch Persona?"

"You'll understand once you see it for yourself. By the way, her Witch Persona is actually easier to get along with than she is in real life."

In the detention cell on the Research Level, separated by a tempered glass wall, Miss Anjie was locked up again.

Right now, however, she's lying on the floor, doodling on a piece of paper with a box of crayons.

Miss Achernar was also inside, but she wasn't locked up; she was just playing with Anjie, or rather...

Yes, taking care of the child.

"Why are you still acting like a little kid?" Miluno asked.

SpiCa replied, "It's not like that, she's just a child. She's Witch Persona that grew by absorbing Anjie's consciousness. When you rescued her, she was only four or five years old."

"Sister~ Look!"

Inside the detention room, Anjie, all smiles, jumped into Achernar's arms, showing off her "masterpiece".

"Is this me?"

"Um!"

The paper was drawn with a very abstract green-haired little figure, which, apart from the hair color being somewhat similar, did not resemble Achernar at all.

"Thanks."

As always, she was taciturn, but perhaps because they were both witches, she was able to smile at Anjie now.

SpiCa continued, "The Witch Anjie is too innocent and has no hostility towards this world. In comparison, the original Secretary Anjie was much worse. So, do you want me to delete this child to save a traitor? What would you choose?"

Why are you shifting the problem to me and Miluno?

"If it's a choice between the two, then naturally we'll save whoever is more useful. Compared to a traitor to humanity, a witch who can be trained into a fighting force is clearly more valuable."

Miluno answered readily, so SpiCa turned its gaze to me.

"And you, Ceruno, what would you do?"

"Could we separate them?"

"I can't do it."

"Can't we just get along well?"

"Get along well? You only have one body. If you were in that situation, would you be willing to live with a witch who could absorb you at any time?"

Whether the witch is allowed to devour the original Miss Anjie, or SpiCa's magic is used to remove the Witch Persona, someone would have to sacrifice themselves, but I don't like that ending.

"I'd like to... speak with Miss Anjie first."

"No problem, it's just that her mental state is a bit unstable. She wasn't exactly a person with a strong will to begin with, and being treated as a pawn by A-Ji was a huge blow to her."

"Um."

I nodded, and SpiCa opened the door to the cell and let me in. The red-haired girl had a childish expression on her face and blinked as she looked me and Miluno up and down.

"A new older sister? Is she also a witch?"

I replied:

"No, we're magical girls."

Miluno asked SpiCa, "You couldn't completely stop her growth? She couldn't speak at all when I rescued her."

"It's slowed down a lot, even I can't hold out for much longer... Achernar, come out and let the two of them talk to Anjie."

Achernar patted Anjie on the head and left the detention cell.

Then, a White Silk from SpiCa was wrapped around Anjie's head.

"Cough cough--"

Then came a fit of coughing.

He had completely changed; his eyes were filled with fear and unease, and his gaze towards us was full of dread...

"Miss Anjie?"

"Ceruno... please... please... you must save me..."

She grabbed my hand and knelt down to plead, her expression completely devoid of her former arrogance.

"Don't rush, I want to know... what did my father do to you?"