Magical Girl? I Got Scammed into This!

Under the little girl's control, the tentacles that had nearly filled the entire space all vanished.

"This looks much more comfortable."

However, she did not cancel her transformation because of that. Her original clothes had already been reduced to scraps; if she transformed back now, her battle outfit would disappear as well.

The metal shaft of the wand vanished, leaving only the oval gemstone at its tip floating in front of her chest.

Two rays of light extended from either end of the gemstone, looping around Ando Meiko's neck and joining at the nape to form a ruby necklace.

"Come to think of it, Sister, why were you able to come in here? Are you my family?"

"Family? You still have family?"

If this little girl had family, why had she been abandoned in a place like this? Could something have happened to them?

"Yes, Sister. In my memories, I seem to be a child of a race called 'Nyarlathotep.'"

"What? What? N-Nyarlathotep?"

"Hm? What is it, Sister? You look very surprised."

"Then do you have a name?"

"No. We are all called Nyarlathotep."

"No." Ando Meiko rejected it outright.

Though she did not want to face this reality, if they were going to leave this place, she had to give this child a human name. How could she possibly call her by the name of a Cthulhu Outer God?

She really wanted to name her Nyaruko, but that name was already taken, so she needed a different name. A distinct name.

"Why make it so complicated? Just call her Nako."

"Nako my ass. Could you stop making trouble at a time like this? I'm almost there."

She reached out and flicked the gemstone on her chest. She did not know whether Ruby could feel pain, but her own finger went numb from the sting.

"Got it. Nanako. Your name will be Nanako."

"Repeating syllables, so gross. Nako sounds better."

"None of your business."

"Okay, Sister! Nanako is a wonderful name. I really like it. I finally have my own name. I'm Nanako. My name is Nanako."

The newly named Nanako spun around excitedly on the spot. Seeing how satisfied the child was with her new name, Ando Meiko felt deeply gratified as well.

With the little girl's issue settled, all that remained was figuring out how to leave this place.

"Just what is this space? If anyone with magical power or an ether body could enter, then I, a magical girl who only just transformed, couldn't possibly have been the first visitor, right?"

"This space itself is very strange. It lies in the gap between the void and the present world, a Fault Space. There is not a single thing inside it. Perhaps its owner's body met some condition that allowed her to enter this space."

"So there was such a coincidence?"

"It should be related to the Master's incomplete ether body. But I think someone deliberately hid her here. Otherwise, as a descendant of an Outer God, she would have been fully capable of traveling through the void."

"They couldn't possibly have left her here alone, could they? She looked so pitiful."

"But didn't Master say she wanted to live an ordinary life?"

"Wanting an ordinary life doesn't mean I can just leave someone to die. If I hadn't suddenly come in here, who knows how many more years she would have been trapped here? Ruby, you have a way to get us out, don't you?"

"Huh? How should I put this... There seemed to be a way, but also seemed not to be..."

Clicking her tongue, Ando Meiko flicked the gemstone necklace again. That punchable tone clearly meant Ruby was keeping them in suspense.

"Ow! Master, what are you doing? I saved you from dire straits! It's one thing not to thank me, but now you're even hitting me!"

So she really could feel pain. Perhaps she had merely endured the first flick.

"You know, I really want to tear you off, put you under my foot, and stomp on you until you shatter into pieces."

"Hahaha, so Master is an S. Too bad I'm not an M, so I can't fulfill Master's wish."

Without another word, she tore off the chain, threw the gemstone onto the ground, and stomped on it. She did not forget to grind it against the floor twice.

"Aaaah! Master, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I apologize! I won't dare do it again! I suddenly remembered the way! I know how to get out!"

Hearing Ruby's screams, which sounded even more sincere than an apology, Ando Meiko finally picked up the necklace in satisfaction, wiped it on the hem of her skirt, and held it in her palm, allowing it to turn back into a wand.

"Seriously, Master is so cruel."

"What is your method?"

"Just chant a spell. Since this is the gap between the present world and the void, the gate that returns from the void to the present world should work too."

"What spell?"

"Master's comfortable moan—... Y-Yes, sorry! I misspoke, I misspoke! I'll explain properly, I definitely will!" When Ruby saw her Master about to throw her onto the floor again, her words abruptly turned into an apology halfway through.

"Master, I've already told you the spell."

The spell Ruby spoke of was transmitted directly into Ando Meiko's mind through her memories.

"Seriously, couldn't you have done that sooner? Did you really have to suffer before your body remembered that what you did was wrong?"

Volume One: The Matter of Being Scammed into Becoming a Magical Girl: Chapter Nine: My Childhood Friend Moved In

"Sister, are we getting ready to leave? Nanako can help. Nanako is amazing."

"No need. Nanako, just watch from the side." Ando Meiko turned back and gave her what she thought was a confident smile.

She raised her magic wand and pointed it toward the edge of the barrier, replaying the spell Ruby had just sent her in her mind.

"The sky bestows the pure gift of stars, the earth bestows the exquisite miracle of radiant stones, the ocean bestows the endless kin of water. Open, gate to the present world."

A red heart slowly shot out from the very tip of the magic wand. The instant it landed on the barrier wall, its glow twisted into a vortex-like passage.

"Let's go, Nanako."

"Yay! We can finally leave this place. Thank you, Sister!"

Ando Meiko grabbed Nanako's hand and jumped into the vortex passage with her. After being transported and reappearing, the sudden lightness of her body sent her butt crashing hard onto the ground.

"Why is it always my butt?! Can't I land on somewhere else for once?! It hurts like hell!"

As she complained and tried to get up, Nanako, who appeared behind her, fell on top of her and pressed her half-raised upper body back down onto the floor.

"Ow... my poor back..."

"Sister, I'm sorry... Are you okay? It's all my fault."

"I'm fine..."

After straightening herself up again, she saw the familiar surroundings and confirmed that she had returned to her original world.

"Oh no, it's already this late!" After making Ruby turn back into a necklace, she grabbed Nanako's hand and raced toward her home.

"I'm home..."

"Nanako is home!"

The words slipped out almost instinctively the moment they entered. Only after saying them did she realize something was wrong, but it was already too late to cover her mouth.

Yet after a long while, there was no response from inside, nor did her parents come out to take a look.

What was going on? Was nobody home right now?

Thinking that, Ando Meiko entered the living room. There was still no one there, but an envelope weighed down by an ashtray sat prominently on the table.

She picked up the letter and began reading it.

It began with "To our beloved son" and ended with "Love, Mom and Dad."

After reading its contents, her previously expressionless face was completely replaced by shock.

"Mom and Dad are going traveling for a while. But Fuko said she wanted to come over and stay for some time, so we cleaned up the guest room and told her to stay here directly. We've already put the household money in the drawer for this period. Take good care of the house, remember to eat on time, and take care of yourself ╮(╯▽╰)╭"

How was she even supposed to comment on this? You two old geezers were arguing so fiercely yesterday that you nearly came to blows, and now you were going traveling hand in hand.

And fine, telling me to take care of myself was one thing, but what was with that helpless emoticon? Had they discovered the treasured things I hid in the drawer and under my bed? No way!

"Tch, looks like my study materials need to be strategically relocated." Ando Meiko helplessly patted her forehead.

"Sister, Nanako is hungry."

If Nanako had not said anything, Ando Meiko would not have remembered the issue. What had she even eaten to survive while trapped in that gap? Why was she hungry so soon after reaching the real world?

"Master, in the void, she could sustain herself by absorbing the abundant saturated magic power there. The present world does not have as much magic power as the void for her to absorb, so she will feel hungry."

"I see." She turned toward the kitchen and rummaged through the refrigerator for something hot that could be eaten immediately, or something simple to make.

"There's only cereal. Well, that'll do." Before making dinner, she planned to give Nanako something to fill her stomach.

There was no food that could be eaten just by heating it up, but there was still some cereal and milk in the refrigerator, so she simply prepared some and brought it to Nanako.

It was clearly Nanako's first time drinking milk. The moment it entered her mouth, her big eyes practically lit up.

Watching her wolf down the food meant to tide her over, Ando Meiko decided to change clothes before coming back down to cook.

After all, staying transformed forever was not an option.

She returned to her room and drew all the curtains. After canceling her transformation and having her battle outfit disappear, she forcibly put on a cosplay girl's outfit she had stored deep in her closet.

After putting on the skirt and fastening the buttons at her waist, she suddenly realized something. Without even tidying up her clothes, she hurried downstairs, picked up the letter from the table, and reread it.

"I told her to stay here... directly?!"

That meant Fuko was in our house right now?! No, no way, absolutely not. If she saw me like this, how was I supposed to explain my identity? And how was I supposed to explain Nanako's identity?

"Koichi? Is Koichi back?"

The sweet female voice and footsteps from outside the door instantly plunged Ando Meiko into the depths of despair.

The living room door had just opened. Still caught in a panic and unable to react at all, she was greeted by a bear hug from Fuko.

"Ugh... Ah, I-I'm going to die... Fuko, let... let go..." Those mountains, even more magnificent than before, pressed against her face. That breast-smothering attack left her completely unable to breathe.

She had thought she was already big enough after becoming a girl, but compared to Fuko, Ando Meiko realized her horizons had been far too narrow.

"Huh? Y-You're not Koichi?" After Fuko let her go and took a look, she realized the person she had hugged was not her childhood friend, Ando Koichi, but a girl.

Fuko, could you please check who you're hugging before you hug them next time? What if you accidentally hugged some other man? Though that wasn't any of my business.

Also, what was with coming out wearing nothing but a bath towel? You knew I would be coming home and still dressed like that. Were you trying to make me commit a crime?

This airheaded, busty cutie was Ando Koichi's childhood friend and the owner of the school uniform she had worn that morning: Sakura Fuko.

She had truly grown up playing with him, but they had been separated for a while after she moved away two years ago. Since then, they had only remained in occasional contact through their phones.

Of course, he had given her his address so she could come over whenever she wanted, but Ando Meiko had never expected her own mother to set her up at such a critical moment.

"No... You, you're Koichi?"

Huh? What? What were you saying, lady? I hadn't said a word, or even made a single expression. How did you know I was Koichi?

If it was because of my scent, my original scent had already changed into the faint fragrance unique to girls. Even a dog definitely should not have been able to recognize me.

Volume One: The Matter of Being Scammed into Becoming a Magical Girl: Chapter Ten: I Just Want to Move to Another Planet

"Um, did you mistake me for someone else?" Ando Meiko took half a step back, her voice wavering as she clearly began to panic.

"Koichi, stop pretending. How could I possibly mistake you? We grew up together."

"But I'm a girl."

"I have proof. Ta-da..."

Why did you pull your phone out from your chest?! So what if they're big? Come to think of it, could you really hold a phone there? Should I try it too?

Fuko's phone had a purikura photo of her and Ando Koichi taken together when they were young stuck onto it. Ando Meiko did not know whether Fuko was doing it on purpose or was genuinely that airheaded, but she was not even afraid someone might see it.

However, the moment Fuko held the phone screen out toward Ando Meiko, shame surged through her. She felt she would rather be bound by Nanako's tentacles for ten minutes than see this.

My cross-dressing photo! Aah! I'm going to die.

Ando Meiko felt as if the world were about to end because of this. At that moment, the apocalypse seemed utterly insignificant compared to having her cross-dressing discovered by a friend—especially her childhood friend.

The picture showed Ando Meiko back when she still had a male body, cosplaying a black-haired anime character. The angle caught her standing by the window, wind blowing through her hair as she brushed it back.

How had Fuko managed to take my cross-dressing photo from that angle? Had she happened to come to my house and happened to see that scene? How could she be so incredible?

The worst part was that, of all things, she was wearing the exact outfit from the photo, and the her in the picture had exactly the same aura as she did now.