Roaming Freely

(Bai Ziye)

Getting Ceruno to send a message to "Bai Ziye" was part of the plan. That was why I had left my phone with Yin Wei. The key to today's outing was to establish an unshakable conviction in Ceruno's mind.

Miluno was Miluno;

Bai Ziye was Bai Ziye.

This was important. Although it had been Yin Wei's suggestion, I had agreed with both hands raised.

But I hadn't expected this idiot to say something so embarrassing right to my face. If I hadn't had strong nerves, I might have blown my cover on the spot.

"Miss Miluno!"

Ceruno took out her phone, then cautiously asked, "Um... could we take a picture together?"

I could understand wanting a photo with your idol, but she was acting far too reserved. She had been pretty uninhibited at home—almost a little too uninhibited... like last night, when she wandered around the room after her bath wearing only a tank top and underwear, then sat cross-legged on the bed, leaving me not knowing where to look.

"Miss Miluno?"

"It's just a photo. Of course that's fine."

A little distracted, I continued, "Since we're not boating, let's take one by the lake as a keepsake."

"Okay, I'll listen to whatever Miss Miluno says."

That was what she said, but Longmoon Lake was practically a local attraction right outside our doorstep. We could come here anytime by car, so there didn't seem to be much need for a memento.

Once we stepped out from the shade, the temperature difference became obvious again. Maybe because I had just drunk some water, I was sweating even more heavily.

Ceruno suddenly let out a short cry after taking out her phone.

"Ah! I didn't bring a selfie stick!"

"It's fine. We can just hold the phone up normally."

"But then we'll have to stand really close to fit in the frame... wah!"

I put an arm around Ceruno's shoulder and drew her closer. The idiot's flustered expression was oddly cute, like a startled roe deer staring at you silently with its mouth open.

"This way, we can take the picture."

"M-Miss Miluno, this is a little too..."

"Too?"

"T-Too hot!"

It really was a little hot, pressed together like this.

"Then hurry up and take it."

"Ah, wah wah wah!!"

I narrowed my eyes and pressed the shutter on the screen, capturing even Ceruno's clumsy expression in the photo.

"Wah! This one won't do, we have to delete it!"

"Pfft..."

Her frantic movements made it impossible for me to keep a straight face, and a laugh slipped from my lips.

When I laughed, Ceruno quieted down instead.

She simply stared at me, as though lost in thought.

Then she stammered, "I-I think... Miss Miluno looks really pretty when she smiles!"

It sounded like she had used up all her strength saying that. Afterward, she began panting with a flushed face. If she had still been the original Sun Yao, it would probably have looked disgusting, like an overly excited idol otaku at a fan meeting.

But she was Ceruno now, so she only looked cute.

"I think this photo is pretty good. Send it to that close friend of yours."

I pointed at that silly-looking picture as I spoke.

"Huh?"

"You don't want to?"

"Uh, if that's what Miss Miluno wants, then I..."

With her back to the sunlight, she operated her phone beneath her own shadow. It seemed she really intended to send that photo to me.

It was like she would agree to basically anything I said.

Was the identity of "Miluno" really that useful?

"It's too hot. Let's head to the mountain trail entrance first."

"Mm, I'll listen to Miss Miluno."

There were several paths up the mountain, each leading to the summit. Although the lake was called Longmoon Lake, the mountain itself really was shaped like a crescent moon, cradling the still freshwater lake.

The climb wasn't particularly steep, and the vegetation was dense. Towering trees blocked out the sun, bringing shade and fresh air. It wasn't as cool as air conditioning, but it still felt genuinely comfortable.

Oh, and there was the babbling stream. The water was crystal clear.

"Part of Longmoon Lake's water comes from the mountain springs up here."

Ceruno stood before an information board at the entrance to the mountain trail.

"There's even a legend written here. It says Longmoon Lake was blasted out when an ancient Magical Girl used magic to destroy a Monster!"

I could believe it had been formed by a meteor strike, since it did look somewhat like an enormous impact crater. But ancient Magical Girls? That was a little far-fetched.

"This legend makes no sense. Star Crystals only appeared twelve years ago, so there couldn't have been Magical Girls in ancient times. If they had really existed, how could history have no record of them at all?"

"Miss Miluno is so serious. That so-called legend is obviously just a romantic little story~"

I sighed. "Sigh, these days, everything has to be connected to Magical Girls. I know that's just the general atmosphere now, but I still think it's too distorted."

"Oh! I think so too! Those Magical Girls who take commercial endorsements don't look like Magical Girls at all!"

Ceruno really dared to say that. After all, the one who took the most advertising deals was the current No. 1.

She jogged a few steps to catch up with me, then asked, "How did Miss Miluno encounter her Star Crystal?"

"Encounter?"

"Yeah? You never registered with the Association, so you couldn't have been an eligible candidate found by them, right?"

Unlike Magical Girls affiliated with the Association, most "wild Magical Girls" were eligible candidates chosen directly by Star Crystals. Apparently, there were all sorts of ways they acquired them—for example, a Crystal suddenly appearing in their pocket, or a Star Crystal falling onto their balcony and cracking their head open.

But mine...

"My Crystal was inherited from another Magical Girl."

The moment I said that, Ceruno became interested. Like a curious little deer, she skipped in front of me and walked backward along the mountain path with her hands behind her back.

"Miss Miluno is so strong, so your predecessor must have been amazing too, right?"

"No, I didn't know her at all. I didn't even know her name."

"...Huh! Someone forced a Star Crystal on you without you knowing anything?"

"Mm."

Just who was the person who had entrusted this Star Crystal to me?

And who was the person she wanted me to protect?

Even now, I still hadn't figured it out...

But as long as I continued my activities as a Magical Girl, the answer would surely be revealed someday.

I had that feeling.

Ceruno climbed onto a platform halfway up the mountain and looked down at me from the top of the stairs.

"Miss Miluno, aren't you someone who keeps secrets? Why are you willing to tell me these things?"

Only then did I realize that I had acted too familiar with Ceruno.

I was indeed very familiar with her, but she wasn't familiar with me.

"Do I need a reason?"

"Even including this time, we've only met twice. You don't even register with the Association, so why would you... Of course, I'm happy! Really, I'm so happy that Miss Miluno is willing to tell me these things!"

"Ceruno, although I dislike the Association, I don't hate you or the other Magical Girls. I have my own friends and my own social circle in everyday life. I'm not completely disconnected from society, some otherworldly person untouched by mortal concerns."

In Ceruno's mind, Miluno was basically an extraordinary, idealized idol—a hero.

Although shattering that fantasy was cruel, I needed to correct that mistaken impression. After all, I wasn't such a perfect person.

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