Joining Up: Miluno

(Miluno)

SpiCa didn't seem to mind being ignored; instead, she walked towards me.

"Miluno, you just used the power of darkness, didn't you?"

Perhaps they saw me escape from the rubber ball, or perhaps they noticed the lingering Dark Energy.

SpiCa is now also a witch, and is somewhat aware of this.

I answered truthfully:

"Strictly speaking, that's not my power; it's my Witch Persona that's manipulating it. I can't control the darkness hidden within the Crystal on my own."

As I said that, the little thing proudly put its hands on its hips in front of me.

"Your Crystal contains Dark Energy far exceeding that of any witch, yet you have no way to use it..."

SpiCa then asked:

"Miluno, are you a witch or a magical girl now?"

I didn't know why she asked that, but I answered anyway:

"I'm a magical girl, but Mono should be considered a witch."

SpiCa asked again:

Do you consider you two to be two independent individuals?

"Certainly."

I even got her a separate body, but she was too fat to fit in, so she had to stay here with me.

"I'm not fat! How dare you say that!"

The little thing protested by punching and kicking my face.

It's really too much that she can hear my thoughts. If I have the chance, I'll do anything to get her out of here.

SpiCa couldn't hear the noise in my head, and simply said:

"Actually, Anjie's condition hasn't been quite right lately."

Hmm? Why are we suddenly bringing up that self-inflicted secretary-general?

"The connection between magical girls and Witch Persona is probably deeper than we thought. Although Xiaojie didn't completely consume her personality, their relationship is not as simple as we imagine."

I reached out and pinched Xiaojie's dark cheek.

He asked, "What other relationship do they have?"

SpiCa shook his head.

"I don't know yet."

"Are you kidding me?!" That's what the little thing yelled in my head.

Although I felt similarly, SpiCa said the traitorous secretary-general was acting strangely, but then couldn't say anything at all.

"Ever since Xiaojie went to the City School with you, her mental state has been very poor. If before it was just because she was abandoned by A-Ji that she was depressed, now she looks like she's about to die."

"You mean, Xiaojie can't be separated from her?"

I pushed the dark-skinned, white-haired girl in front of her and waved her in front of me.

"You're not going to send this child back to prison, are you?"

SpiCa shook his head.

"Of course not... but we can let Anjie Past there to do some work. She's been the secretary-general of the Association before, so she has the ability to manage and coordinate. It just so Shi Yi's side is short of manpower, so we can let her Past to handle some basic and complicated tasks."

"This method is acceptable."

I know how complicated the affairs of the City School are, having been conscripted by Xiao Yi for a whole night. Recently, new magical girls have been enrolling, and the number continues to grow. I'm afraid the work will never be finished.

Looking at it this way, Anjie is actually a useful talent.

After arranging for Anjie, SpiCa continued:

"Then, you'll have to figure out the connection between magical girls and Witch Persona. After all, I can't stay in the City School forever."

That doesn't suit me at all.

"Wait, why are you assigning me work again? I'm not a prisoner."

"They will pay a commission."

"It's not about the money, I'm just really too busy."

I'm tasked with fighting the Witch Domain as part of the Galaxy Force, and then I have to go on a mission alone to "the Other Side." Before I've even dealt with the witch within myself, she's sending me to investigate the relationship between Xiaojie and Anjie... Most importantly, I have to hand over every penny I earn to Ceruno —what does this commission have to do with me?

"Then I'll do it."

Ceruno pulled Xiaojie to her side.

"This concerns Xiaojie's safety; we can't be careless."

In fact, asking Stratos about this kind of thing would likely yield a conclusion...

"I've got this sorted out."

Stratos wiped the sweat from his brow and tossed me the three Simulacrum Factor along with the Artificial Crystal.

"Give her some energy."

The little thing blinked and drew a ball of Dark Energy from the Morning Star Crystal.

Then, the Simulacrum Factor were injected separately, and then these revived Simulacrum Factor began to activate.

The rubber ball in the cell disintegrated into particles that flew out, and centered on the Simulacrum Factor, it reconstructed a different form than before...

Ceruno exclaimed, "Wow! Gender swap?!"

Yes, the shiny rubber boy has turned into a beautiful girl.

"A witch can't be a man, can she?"

It's still a white-bodied model figure, with a well-proportioned body that's neither slender nor voluptuous, like a standardized product of a beautiful girl, but without any other special features.

Just as the Rubber Magical Girl was about to awaken, Xiaojie spontaneously used magic to calm her emotions.

I asked:

"So, does she have a brain now?"

Stratos shook his head and explained in a language only I could understand:

"Still no. Without such a simple and effective elemental structure, it's impossible to maintain the coexistence of three Simulacrum Factor."

I countered, "Is she still unable to think?"

Stratos shook his head mysteriously.

"No, who says you need a brain to think?"

Thinking doesn't necessarily require a brain; otherwise, other construct-type Monster wouldn't be able to follow instructions and complete complex tasks.

The last step I interrupted regarding Aldebaran was to imbue the rubber boy I created with intelligence, making it the first super Monster with three Simulacrum Factor.

And this step was now completed by Stratos.

He just hasn't woken up yet.

"See! What that little girl can do, I can do too!"

Gone is her previous timidity; she slams her hand on the table and declares.

Wait, old man?

I changed to a more respectful tone and asked:

"Professor Stratos, how old were you?"

He knew he had spoken out of turn, and lowered his head, saying:

"Sigh, I don't want anyone to know about my Past either."

That only makes people more curious.

However, SpiCa and the others couldn't understand what she was saying, so I was the only one who knew that she used to be a Monster old man.

The Rubber Magical Girl transformation is complete, but one thing remains unanswered.

"So, Director, what's your decision?"

I resumed my negotiating stance.

"Help us complete our research on witches and darkness, and we can offer you treatment different from other witch prisoners."

Although I say this, her treatment is most likely worse than that of the other witches.

After all, Nabu Island Prison is just a retirement home disguised as a prison. If anyone went in and tried to riot, the witches would take care of it themselves before the magical girl guards could do anything about it... Life inside is too comfortable.

Stratos thought for a moment, then replied in Earth's language:

"I want to continue my own research, and you must meet my various conditions and provide the necessary materials."

She was saying this to SpiCa.

She knew I wasn't in charge, so she bypassed me and went straight to SpiCa to discuss the terms.

SpiCa asked, "So, what tangible reward do we get in return for supporting your research?"

Stratos's face darkened.

"The technology that can turn your soldiers into Witchification."

Wow, that sounds dangerous.