Just an Ordinary Transitional Chapter

(Bai Ziye)

When I woke up, I was lying facedown.

I'd been knocked unconscious again.

It had only been a few days, yet I'd passed out twice already. Wasn't I supposed to be the protagonist of an invincible story?

Still, my opponent had been the strongest active magical girl. Maybe it wasn't too embarrassing that I hadn't been taken down in a single exchange.

I was always hovering near the bottom of the strength rankings. It seemed normal that I couldn't beat the number one... though I was still somewhat unwilling to accept it.

Sirius.

Worthy of being the brightest star in the night sky, her flashy light-based techniques were even smoother than Ultraman Ace's.

No, what kind of magical girl was she?

That final move had clearly been the signature skill of a demon hunter: Eye Beam.

I braced myself and sat up in bed.

My upper body was wrapped in bandages, even my chest bound up beneath them.

Maybe they thought that, since I was wrapped up so tightly anyway, there was no need to put a shirt on me. They had simply left me facedown on the bed and given me a blanket to preserve my modesty.

But these injuries hadn't been caused by Sirius's Eye Beam.

Most of that attack's power had been blocked by Ceruno's bubble shield. Of course, Sirius had also held back. In any case, the damage had been limited.

These injuries had been entirely self-inflicted.

To launch an effective counterattack, I had unleashed twentyfold speed, something I hadn't dared try against the Shark Princess Witch.

The power had been astonishing, but the side effects were just as imaginable.

After giving it everything I had, no matter what state my opponent was in, I needed to release Time-Freeze and recover my strength. Otherwise, I risked suffocating. If I was attacked at that moment, naturally, I had no way to dodge.

On top of that, the strain on my body had torn open the wounds on my back again. Even now, I could feel the unceasing stabbing pain. Thankfully, I still had some of the potion Yin Wei had given me...

"Miss Miluno!"

The door to my guest room was pushed open. Without caring whether I was dressed, Ceruno rushed in anxiously with a worried expression and threw herself down beside the bed.

"I'm sorry! I was too useless!"

This idiot was apologizing blindly again.

Yin Wei and Sirius stood behind her.

"I heard the commotion, so I came over to take a look."

The blonde idol stood behind Ceruno with her arms folded, glaring down at me through her tiny nostrils.

"You actually dared challenge me while injured and pushed yourself that far. Even if I held back, you could still have been in danger! I only wanted to test your strength. I never intended to take your lives!"

Her glittering stage-costume Battle Dress had been changed out. She was now wearing a white printed T-shirt and beige canvas shorts. It was a simple outfit, quite different from her earlier flamboyant impression.

"There was no way I could have defeated you while holding back. But if I had used a blade instead of striking with the flat, Miss Sirius might not have had the chance to use that final move."

"Oh? Are you saying you didn't lose?"

"No. I was indeed the first to fall. There is no denying that... I thought magical girls like you would be physically weaker. I was too presumptuous."

Normally, "mage-type" magical girls had weaker physical abilities than "warrior-types" like me. If it had been Ceruno, she absolutely wouldn't have been able to withstand a twentyfold-speed home run from my sword...

"That's generally true, but I'm still the strongest magical girl. How could I possibly go down that easily?"

Sirius planted her hands on her hips and puffed up proudly again.

Seeing her like that, I suddenly remembered what SpiCa had said before.

"Miss Sirius, are you the incarnation of a Star Crystal?"

She froze for a moment, then asked, "Virgo told you?"

"Mm."

"That woman actually goes around telling people classified information like that... That's right. I'm not human at all. I'm a magical girl directly incarnated from a Star Crystal. When I descended to Earth, this world was suffering under those External Invaders. There was no time to look for a suitable contractor, so I made a contract with myself directly. But in exchange, I can no longer turn back into a Star Crystal. Just treat me as a human."

Sirius shrugged helplessly, but Ceruno abruptly sprang to her feet in front of her. She wasn't very tall, but she was close enough to startle Sirius.

"Uh, Ceruno?"

Ceruno took her hand, leaving Sirius at a loss.

"Miss Sirius is humanity's hero! You are also a role model for magical girls. I became Earth's Guardian because I looked up to you!"

"Er, it's not that exaggerated. I'm just fulfilling my mission."

Although she spoke modestly, Sirius's lips still curled up uncontrollably under Ceruno's praise.

I supported myself against the bed and sat up, and the blanket covering me slipped down along my back.

"Hm? Wah!"

Ceruno covered her eyes.

My upper body was covered only in bandages, and the panties on my lower body weren't even mine.

Sigh. Passing out repeatedly was one thing, but why was my Battle Dress stripped off every single time?

Seeing my confusion, Sirius explained, "I had a maid take your Battle Dress to be washed. The underwear you're wearing is mine. Honestly, you people came on vacation without bringing anything at all. There aren't any shops on this island."

"...?"

These were panties worn by the world's number one idol...

"Don't worry, they're brand-new."

"Then don't phrase it in such an ambiguous way."

Sirius covered her mouth halfway and let out a loud laugh, then added, "If your back injury isn't affecting you too badly, get up and have lunch first. Melissa and the others have prepared a Hawaiian feast. We've all been waiting for you to wake up."

"Thank you..."

I was still weak when I got up. The burden twentyfold speed placed on the body was beyond anything I had imagined. This could no longer be called a trump card; it should be called do or die.

Though Sirius was also from the Association, she was straightforward and didn't beat around the bush. She was easier to get along with than people like Yin Wei and SpiCa, who were far more calculating.

After changing into the fuzzy pajamas from first class, I supported myself against the wall and walked outside. Only then did I turn back to take in the full view of the guest room.

The decor was luxurious, with a private bathroom and two large double beds. From the spacious balcony, one could overlook the beach on Nabu Island.

"Is this mansion actually a hotel?"

Sirius answered, "Before I bought this island, this place used to be a five-star hotel, so it's perfectly normal for the guest room layout to feel like a hotel."

So that was why the mansion's structure resembled a hotel.

"Then is this room for Ceruno and me?"

It would be troublesome to share a room with Ceruno. After all, in a few hours, "Bai Ziye" should be making an appearance too.

The one who answered was Miss Yin Wei.

"No. Ceruno specifically requested not to sleep in the same guest room as you."

She specifically requested not to sleep with me?

Oh, she was still thinking about what happened on the plane... Well, this was better too.

Yin Wei continued, "She will be sharing a room with Mr. Ye, who will arrive later. So, Miss Miluno, please bear with it and share a room with me for the next few days."

"...Huh!?"

(Sun Yao)

Miss Miluno was seriously hurt. The old injuries left behind from the battle with the Shark Princess had flared up several times already... We couldn't let her fight again.

At least not until she had fully recovered. We couldn't let her take such risks again.

"Ceruno."

"Ah? Yes!"

At the dining table, Miluno beside me raised her wineglass toward me. She wasn't in great spirits, but she had still come out to have lunch with everyone.

"But, I don't drink alcohol..."

"You can drink something else. A toast is just an outdated formality."

I stood up and clinked glasses with her.

"Then I should thank Miss Miluno too."

"Alright, there's nothing to thank me for."

She merely shook her head, then asked, "What about that friend of yours... When will he arrive?"

Right!

Where was Yezi by now?