On Becoming a Magical Girl

"Ah, right! Speaking of that..."

Saori came over to Efnir, clutching the paper gift bag in her hands.

"This is a gift Rin asked me to give you, Senior!"

Efnir was somewhat taken aback.

"Huh? Rin... she..."

"Rin's doing very well now."

Saori covered her mouth and smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.

"I visited her at the hospital this morning, and she's doing very well. So please don't worry too much, Senior. It's just that she's still in isolation, so she couldn't come watch your performance. She seemed... really heartbroken about it."

Though Rin was not Efnir's fan in the conventional sense, she greatly admired Efnir.

Rin was carefree, yet earnest and hardworking. In a sense, she and Efnir had once been superior and subordinate, but when it came to combat techniques, Efnir could also be considered Rin's teacher.

Of course, this "teacher" did not mean the same thing as the "teacher" Fengling Shiyin spoke of.

What Efnir taught Rin was how to handle and wield weapons and the power of Order. For Fengling Shiyin, whose fighting style was entirely different, Efnir instead taught her how to choose and adapt strategies against different types of Corrupted.

"I see... If she's regained her spirits... I hope she gets better soon..."

Efnir paused, then smiled again.

"Next time, when Rin is discharged, please be sure to invite her to watch my performance."

"Definitely! Rin and I will both come to your next performance, Senior!"

Saori beamed as she set down the gift bag in her hand.

There was still some time before the performance began. The two fell into a brief silence before Saori suddenly said, "Um... actually, Senior, there's one more... very important thing I'd like to ask you to help with..."

Saori lowered her gaze deeply. Her black hair fell over her forehead, and Efnir could not see her expression.

"It's... about Rin..."

Efnir turned her gaze toward her.

Saori appeared quiet and easygoing, but she was actually fiercely competitive and independent at heart.

Perhaps it was because she had lived in an orphanage ever since she was young... In any case, this was the first time Efnir had heard words like "please" and "request" from her.

"It's all right. As long as it's within my power, please don't hesitate to tell me."

"Mm..."

Saori's voice was as faint as a firefly's glow.

As though she had made up her mind, she took a deep breath.

"Could I ask you, Senior... to revoke Rin's... status as an 'Agent'..."

"Hm?"

Saori's request was completely unexpected. Efnir froze slightly.

The existence of Agents involved far too many confidential matters, so regulations were especially strict in certain areas.

Moreover, giving up one's identity as an Agent was not an easy matter. Once someone had resonated with Order, her body no longer entirely belonged to herself.

Her power, flesh, and soul all existed within Order. No longer resonating with it meant permanent "severance." The consequence was a gradual descent into "loss." Like disconnecting from a storage drive, she would lose access to Order. Her ability to resonate with Order would gradually fade, and at the same time, her memories from her days as an Agent would rapidly disappear.

In other words, both her physical abilities and memories would regress to the point before she became an Agent.

It would also have enormous negative effects on her body.

And besides...

"Revoke... her status? You mean, remove her... from the ranks of the Agents?"

"Yes..."

Saori's answer was quiet but resolute.

Efnir looked at Saori, while Saori averted her gaze. After a long silence, Efnir sighed inwardly.

"Mm... If that is Shiina Rin's wish, I will help submit the application."

Because Qinglan and the others had died in battle or gone missing, the Agents were now desperately short on fighting strength. Several of those who remained were juniors with less than a year of experience.

From a rational standpoint, this was not the time to allow Shiina Rin to leave the Agents. But Efnir did not wish to see these juniors' lives vanish in such a manner.

Besides, Shiina Rin had been severely infected. She likely would not be able to return to the ranks as a combatant for at least a month.

If Shiina Rin wanted to leave, Efnir would never force her to stay.

"Later, I'll have Nami send you the materials needed for the application. If possible, within four days..."

"I'm sorry, Senior..."

Saori interrupted Efnir.

"What is it?"

"Actually... Rin never said she wanted to leave. This is only my personal request..."

Saori lowered her head. It took Efnir a second to process what Saori meant.

Efnir frowned slightly.

"You mean..."

"You know Rin's personality too, Senior. She would never say something like, 'I want to leave'... Even if I begged her, she wouldn't be willing to give up her identity as an Agent."

A bitter expression appeared on Saori's face. Beneath her bangs, she bit her lips until they turned pale.

"But... Senior, you saw it too. Shiina Rin is no longer in any condition to keep fighting. She is exhausted. She needs to rest... Senior, Rin is more important to me than my own life. No matter what, I never want to see her collapse in front of me again..."

Saori's voice trembled. Efnir pressed her lips together and listened in silence.

During the great battle a few days ago, Rin had taken on the interception of nearly every Corrupted in an entire sector. But during the fight, she had lost synchronization from exhaustion, then suffered severe infection while being besieged by the Corrupted. To Saori, who had been transferred to the rear defensive line due to her injuries, it felt like an accusation.

When she watched Rin, covered in blood, being carried into the operating room, Saori had cried herself hoarse. These past few days, she had stayed by Rin's side at the hospital every day.

"So... Senior Efnir, I beg you to help me... As long as Rin can retire from being an Agent, I'll do anything you ask. I'll work twice as hard and fill the gap Rin leaves behind with my own hands!"

"This kind of thing..."

After hearing Saori out, Efnir gently shook her head. Efnir had once thought the same way. She knew how difficult it was.

And that was not even the issue.

"Saori, you know what it means to leave the Orderkeepers, don't you? This also requires her own consent, as well as approval from headquarters."

"Of course I know!"

Saori stubbornly kept her head lowered.

"If you know that..."

Efnir looked into Saori's dim eyes and let out a soft sigh.

"I'm sorry, but no matter what, this must be confirmed by Shiina Rin herself. I cannot strip her of her Agent status by disregarding her will, so... I can't help you."

"S-Senior... You're the only one who can help me..."

"That isn't the problem... I can try to persuade her for you, but this cannot be done against her own wishes."

"I've already tried to persuade her so many times!"

Efnir pressed her lips together, then sat beside Saori and gently took Saori's hands in her own.

Saori's shoulders trembled.

"Saori, can you tell me why? Tell me what you truly feel."

"I'm scared... I'm scared Rin will never come back..."

"Rin will be all right."

Efnir tightly held Saori's icy, trembling hands. She leaned forward slightly and comforted her slowly.

"She is an Agent. As long as she does not undergo 'Aberration,' she will not be assimilated into 'Dregs.' She will come back."

"I know she'll come back... But, Senior... it's because she'll come back that I'm afraid..."

Efnir pressed her lips together and said nothing. Saori clenched her fingers tightly, her voice shaking beyond her control.

"Senior... Senior, you understand better than I do, don't you... What awaits us 'Agents' at the end of this road... Whether it's revenge, protection, innocence, or recklessness, the sky clears after rain, the sun rises in the morning, moonlight falls at night... All Rin wants is an ordinary life like that... You understand too, don't you, Senior... But... if... if she keeps fighting like that... Rin... Rin will definitely..."

She would definitely die.

Those were words that needed no further explanation.

"I... I just don't want Rin to... become like Shiyin... become like Senior Qinglan..."

"For her to leave me..."

"I absolutely couldn't bear it..."

"I don't dare imagine it..."

"I can't lose her... Even if I have to take her place, even if she has to forget me, it doesn't matter if I bear her battles, her life, everything she has... Senior... please, as long as you can help me..."

The air turned cold and still.

"Even so, that..."

Efnir stared silently at Saori. For a long while, she could not say what came next. Saori waited quietly before slowly speaking.

"Senior... Even if this is only my one-sided wish, it is sincere. Please, you have to help me..."

Every word Saori spoke struck Efnir in the chest.

But...

"I'm sorry..."

Efnir released Saori's hands.

"Senior..."

Saori raised her head and stared blankly at her.

Efnir lifted a hand and gently wiped away the tears at the corner of Saori's eyes.

"I can't help you with this."

Efnir sighed and spoke.

The light in Saori's eyes flickered uncertainly. She gazed up at Efnir, and only after a long while did she lower her eyes.

"I... understand... I'm sorry for saying something so strange to you, Senior. Please forget it..."

"Saori..."

At that moment, the door was pushed open, and Shinomiyami Nami appeared outside.

"Efnir, the performance... is about to start~"

The Performance Begins

In this season, holding a performance in broad daylight under the blazing sun was honestly rather malicious.

Scorching sunlight, freely flowing sweat.

Where crowds gathered, heat accumulated. The open venue became a furnace at this time.

Beneath the erected stage, Efnir stood upright and faced forward.

Though she could not see much from beneath the stage, cheers surged toward her like summer heat waves and poured into her ears.

She made one final adjustment to her headset, and Shinomiyami Nami's voice came through.

"What a grand scene, Efnir-chan~"

"Don't call me that."

"Don't be so distant. Isn't that what the fans all like to call you?"