About Becoming a Magical Girl

At that moment, a prettily dressed girl had appeared beside her brother and was walking with him.

Yukina's heart suddenly clenched for no reason.

"Big brother..."

She wanted to call out to stop them, but as the words reached her lips, she suddenly realized that she was an awkward extra in this moment.

She did not even know how to speak to them. The words at her lips were swallowed back down.

Her brother, who would never come to an event venue no matter how she invited him, had actually appeared here? Was it because of that girl? Who was she? His girlfriend?

Countless guesses sprang to mind.

The two of them said something, then the girl took the initiative to hook her arm through her brother's and pulled him away to one side.

Using the crowd as cover, Yukina quietly watched them leave.

Sure enough, it had been wise not to suddenly jump out and announce her presence. This was not a situation where she should appear.

That older girl... was really beautiful. She looked strangely familiar, too.

She was probably his girlfriend... That intimate gesture left no room for misunderstanding.

Her brother was undoubtedly an outstanding person. There was nothing surprising about him having a girlfriend. But precisely because of that... the loneliness arrived right on schedule.

After seeing it with her own eyes, the truth weighed on Yukina's heart like a block of ice.

Without thinking, she instinctively followed them. But the path ahead was an employees-only passage, and without an access pass, Yukina naturally lost them.

Only after stopping did Yukina realize she had wandered quite far away.

"Entry time is approaching. Please have your tickets ready..."

The crowd suddenly began to stir. Yukina knew that entry was about to begin.

Uzuki Saori

Meanwhile, in the preparation room.

The cool air from the air conditioner mingled with the faint scent of fruit.

Efnir stood before the mirror and removed her wig. Raven-black hair spilled down from her snow-white shoulders.

She removed the chest binding and changed out of her casual jacket into a sky-blue dress. With a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumped, and even her brows took on a languid air.

Efnir sat down in a chair and stretched her arms.

"Phew... This really does feel more comfortable. Nami, could you help me?"

"Oho, I'm coming! What does Efnir need me to do?"

"This."

Efnir straightened up as Shinomiyami Nami smoothed out her skirt, buttoned it up, and tied a bow.

"Ah, come to think of it, why didn't we save a commemorative poster for Yukina today?"

"She's had this one for ages."

As Efnir combed her hair, she loosely swept the fishtail braid back and gathered it into a side ponytail. Looking herself over from side to side, she sighed.

"Having to change outfits every day is exhausting."

"What's this~? Has our adorable Senior Efnir suddenly seen the light and decided she doesn't want to be 'big brother' anymore?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Efnir tilted her head back and shot Shinomiyami Nami a sidelong glare.

"I just think this is more comfortable. It has absolutely nothing to do with anything else."

Whenever she disguised herself as "Yanase Naoto," Efnir had to constantly watch her facial expressions, demeanor, posture, and movements, deliberately displaying the "tough" side expected of a "big brother."

That level of disguise was not particularly difficult for Efnir, but naturally, keeping herself so tense all the time was tiring.

So whenever she was Efnir and could relax completely, she always felt truly at ease.

"Is that so?"

Shinomiyami Nami tilted her head noncommittally, her gaze falling upon Efnir's milk-white neck.

It had to be said, Efnir was truly beautiful.

"By the way, Nami, has the commander contacted you these past few days?"

"Yes... no?"

"...? So has she or hasn't she?"

"No..."

"I see."

Efnir took out her phone, her slender, smooth fingers gliding across the screen.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

"There haven't been any large-scale Corruption disasters in the city these past few days. Hmm... Although that's good news, I have a bad feeling about it... Don't you think the behavior patterns of those Erosion Entities that attacked five days ago were rather strange? It's been bothering me..."

"Mm... The investigation has already begun, but the Internal Affairs Department only sent us a notice today. They were complaining to us, actually."

As she answered absentmindedly, Shinomiyami Nami let her gaze drift from Efnir's neck beneath her collar.

The lovely rise and fall held her eyes fast.

It was hard to imagine that such an impressive figure could be pressed so tightly flat by those inconspicuous chest bindings. Usually, if one did not look carefully, it was impossible to tell.

"Come to think of it, I'm really curious about something."

"What?"

Efnir tipped her head back and met Shinomiyami Nami's eyes.

Nishizaki Yuki exaggeratedly lifted a hand to support her own chest, curling her fingers suggestively with a teasing look.

"Doesn't it hurt, binding yourself up like that?"

"...? None of your business!"

"Hehe..."

Shinomiyami Nami laughed carelessly, and Efnir shot her a vicious glare.

"Besides! Was I even talking to you about that??"

Knock knock—

Just then, a sudden knock sounded at the door, echoing through the room.

"I'll get it!"

As if she had seized a lifeline, Shinomiyami Nami hurriedly fled toward the door. When it opened, Efnir looked outside as well, surprise flickering in her eyes at the visitor.

"Saori?"

Uzuki Saori, agent codename Lily, was one of the juniors who had fought alongside them five days ago. She had been injured in battle and had only barely regained the ability to move around. She was still recuperating.

Like Efnir's younger sister, Shiomi Yukina, she was a student at Youcheng Girls' Academy and a second-year. She was Shiina Rin's schoolmate, the two being in the same year but different classes. In others' eyes, their relationship was extraordinary—so close it was enviable.

As agents, Saori and Rin had joined the Orderkeepers at the same time and often acted together. They had more experience than Fifina and were exceptionally capable, lovable juniors.

In the past, they would always attend Efnir's performances. Sometimes they sat in the audience, sometimes they stayed backstage, and sometimes they even took the stage as guests.

But today, only Uzuki Saori stood outside the door, holding a small bag in both hands.

All alone.

Efnir pressed her lips together, hesitation rising in her eyes.

Shiina Rin had been injured and "infected" by Corruption. She was still undergoing isolated treatment and naturally could not come here.

It reminded Efnir of Fifina and Fengling Shiyin. In the past, Fengling Shiyin had been Efnir's fan, passionately yet somewhat shyly adoring her. She had come to every performance.

Even after becoming an agent, that had not changed.

But this time, she was absent.

Nami welcomed Saori into the room, and Saori greeted Shinomiyami Nami and Efnir.

"Senior Efnir! Good morning. And good morning, Sister Shinomiyami."

Shinomiyami Nami waved. "Good morning, Saori~"

"Good morning, Saori."

Efnir brushed aside the thoughts in her mind and smiled brightly at the girl.

"Since Saori is here, you two chat~ I'll go get something. There's still a lot to prepare."

Shinomiyami Nami glanced back at Efnir, stuck out her tongue, and ran off.

"Sister Shinomiyami..."

Saori seemed a little confused by the situation.

"Did I... interrupt something?"

"No, it wasn't your fault, Saori. Well... never mind, let's not talk about that. Please, have a seat."

With a helpless sigh, Efnir got Saori a bottle of orange juice.

"There isn't much here to offer you. Sorry about that."

"No, no! I really like this kind of drink!"

Saori waved her hands with a smile, seemingly showing no sign of anything unusual.

Three days ago, Saori had been devastated by Shiina Rin's injuries, sobbing uncontrollably outside Rin's hospital room.

Just as Yukina was the most important person to Efnir, Saori and Shiina Rin—both orphans from the welfare home who had suffered through Corruption disasters—were each other's most important person. They had always supported one another as they made it this far. Rin's severe injuries must have been the most unbearable agony for Saori.

The memory of that scene flashed before Efnir's eyes, rippling through her gaze.

Request

"Eh? Is that so..."

Efnir opened the drink for Saori, but did not drink one herself.

In truth, Efnir had long passed the age of being enthusiastic about drinks, so she did not really understand young people's tastes. These drinks were only here because her younger sister liked them—thinking, Maybe my sister won't like the bottled water at the venue, she had asked Shinomiyami Nami to replace all the drinks at the event venue with this type.

Or was this kind of drink simply popular at Youcheng Girls' Academy?

Efnir glanced at the orange-colored drink in her hand and set it down on the table.

"Doesn't Saori's club have any weekend activities today?"

Efnir asked.

If they spent every day in high-intensity battles and training, their minds would collapse before their bodies did. Some relief in daily life was essential—this was advice from their attending physician, Nishizaki Yuki, so each agent had her own life. Efnir had chosen to continue living as "Yanase Naoto," while for Uzuki Saori and Shiina Rin, school life had been their shared choice.

"It lets us experience the lives of other people our age," they had said.

"It's not like there are activities all the time. Though... I did rush over here a little..."

Uzuki Saori tilted her head, smiling gently with pursed lips.

"But... getting to see Senior Efnir is more exciting than anything else."

"Is that so? I'm glad."

Efnir looked away.

In any case, she was not very good at dealing with other people's praise.

"By the way, how is Rin doing now?"