About Becoming a Magical Girl Chapter 18

Why was she able to calmly ask Efnir for help? Even though she knew the battlefield ahead was one where life and death were uncertain.

Yukina felt terrible inside.

This indescribable feeling was as though she had chosen between her brother and Efnir. In truth, Yukina did not want anything to happen to her brother, and she also hoped Efnir could return safely forever. In Yukina's heart, her brother was the one who had given her warmth, while Miss Efnir was the person she admired, the one giving her warmth and hope.

Yet she had cowered behind Miss Efnir, standing in safety while asking Miss Efnir to step into danger. Wasn't that far too shameless of her?

"Um... Miss Shinomiyami Nami..."

Yukina hesitated.

She was absolutely not usually this sort of person, but sometimes there were things that simply would not let her heart settle.

"If there's something Little Yukina wants to say, just tell me directly. If I can do it, I'll help you. Consider it compensation for the wonderful lunch that got ruined."

Shinomiyami Nami smiled.

"No, it isn't that... I just... suddenly wanted to ask..."

Yukina raised her eyes and looked at Shinomiyami Nami.

"Miss Efnir... what exactly does she fight for?"

"Why do you ask that?"

Shinomiyami Nami was somewhat surprised, and Yukina hurriedly apologized.

"I-I'm very sorry... I just blurted it out without thinking... If I said something wrong, if it was an inappropriate question that made you uncomfortable, please pretend you never heard it..."

"Don't worry about it."

Shinomiyami Nami suddenly smiled and blinked meaningfully.

"Actually... I was just a little surprised. Even among her fans, very few people ask questions like that."

"Is that so..."

"You're the first."

"The first..."

Yukina lowered her head slightly.

Pathetically enough, for some reason, that made her a little happy.

"Well, anyway, most of those who become agents have one reason or another. Most do it because of hatred, though there are also people with other reasons. As for Efnir..."

Shinomiyami Nami glanced at Yukina.

"It may not be appropriate for me to say this, but in my view, Efnir chose this path for the person she holds dear. Would you believe that?"

"Huh? Miss Efnir...?"

Yukina blinked in surprise.

"Does she already have someone she's going to marry? Even though she's still so young..."

"No, she and that person aren't in that kind of relationship yet..."

Shinomiyami Nami cleared her throat and denied it.

"Then does that mean... they're already close to...?"

"Well, who knows? If you're curious, why not ask her face-to-face next time?"

Shinomiyami Nami pressed a finger to her lips and smiled faintly, keeping her answer teasingly vague.

"Will there even be a next time? I messed everything up today..."

"It's fine. Miss Efnir is a very kind person; she won't mind those things. I don't know if you've noticed, but Efnir actually likes you quite a lot."

Shinomiyami Nami teased her with ulterior motives, but the words immediately took on a different meaning in Yukina's ears.

Nothing particularly interesting had happened between Yukina and Efnir, but to Yukina, Efnir had already become indispensable in her life. Shinomiyami Nami's words felt as though they had poked right into her heart, reminding her of what Efnir had said to her before.

Could it be... that Yukina was not the only one who remembered that kiss? Did Efnir remember it too?

Just thinking that made Yukina's face grow a little hot.

"...What a cute reaction. Do you feel a little better now?"

"Mm..."

Yukina still had her face lowered, but after chatting briefly with Shinomiyami Nami, her expression had eased somewhat compared to the gloom from before.

"Looks like everything is fine here."

Seeing Yukina's complexion improve, Shinomiyami Nami released her hand and stood.

"Though I'd like to chat with Little Yukina a little longer, Efnir is still waiting for me. Now that I've seen you're all right, I can rest easy, so it's about time I returned to my post."

Yukina stood as well.

"Th-then... I'm very sorry... Miss Shinomiyami, I've caused you trouble..."

"Don't worry about it. Efnir entrusted you to me, so you are my little sister."

Shinomiyami Nami smiled gently.

"So there's no need to be polite with me."

Shinomiyami Nami left.

Yukina silently held her phone and waited quietly. She felt much more at ease, even a little excited, and that made her feel deeply guilty.

She set down her phone and prayed for her brother.

At that moment, gunfire faintly echoed from somewhere.

It was probably an attack launched by the Special Disaster Action Force.

But firearms had no effect whatsoever on Corruption. Bullets passed completely through Crow's wings as if they had struck an illusion. Rather than an "attack and defense," such futile offensives were more like "maintaining order" during chaos and issuing warnings when Erosion Entities attacked.

Beep beep—

Her phone suddenly received a text. Yukina flipped it open, but froze when she saw the lit-up screen.

Sender: Brother.

"Brother!?"

Yukina hurriedly picked up her phone and unlocked it.

("Save me")

The message was extremely simple and clear, yet suffocating.

The phone slipped from her stiff palm and hit the ground, its screen cracking across a large area. Yukina leaned blankly against the wall.

People around her shouted and clamored, but not a single one looked her way.

24, Awakening

In Shiomi Yukina's memories, there was little trace of her parents.

From a very young age, she had lived in this home, and in the few treasured memories she possessed, her brother had always been there beside her.

Her brother had always been gentle and dependable, until after that day... everything changed.

Certainly, perhaps as they grew older, distance had arisen between the siblings, and they had gradually drifted apart. Perhaps that truly was inevitable. But no matter what, he was her brother—her only brother. No matter what, Yukina could not completely let go of her familial feelings for Yanase Naoto.

Trembling, Yukina picked up her phone. She blindly swiped her fingers over the screen, which had shattered into several pieces. The screen was somewhat damaged, but at least it still worked.

At a time like this, she had nearly broken her phone by dropping it. She was always so clumsy—no wonder her brother had always laughed at her before.

But...

Holding back her tears had already exhausted all her strength. How was she supposed to remain calm? That was not something an ordinary person could do immediately...

She suddenly understood just how vast the distance between herself and Efnir was. If it were Efnir... even when facing an enemy that inspired despair, she would still walk straight ahead.

She truly did not belong to the same world as someone as timid and cowardly as herself.

And she... whenever she was alone, she was terrified beyond measure. It was cold and quiet, as though she were about to be swallowed whole. Her stomach hurt from the tension, and she nearly wanted to throw up.

Back then, her brother had stayed by her side.

But her brother was no longer beside her. Who was there for her now...

"Hurry... hurry..."

When tears overflowed, she could not see anything clearly. Her hair stuck to her cheeks, and her fingers trembled out of control. She entered the number incorrectly several times before finally managing to place the call.

Pick up already!

Just this once, please, you have to... But after a stretch of busy signal, no one answered. The gray, blackened world of ice and snow was as dead as ever...

It felt as though her heart were being squeezed tightly, and she could barely breathe.

Why was it like this...? In this world, anyone's life could vanish equally. Every morning, she would be grateful... that the one who had survived was herself. But this fortunate stroke of luck was something that could disappear at any time.

"Brother..."

"The entrance and exit will be closed shortly. Repeating: the entrance and exit will be closed shortly. All personnel, return to your posts. Please..."

Suddenly, the announcement flooded Yukina's ears.

She raised her eyes. At the blurry end of her vision, shadows of people clustered together. The flashing lights were dazzling, and mechanical vibrations traveled up from beneath her feet.

The entrance and exit were about to close.

Were there no more people left outside nearby? Or could this place no longer accommodate any more evacuees? Was it for the sake of the people here?

If so, then her brother...

Biting her lower lip tightly, Yukina wiped the corners of her eyes with all her strength. Drawing strength from nowhere, she forced her way through the crowd and ran toward the entrance.

"Hello, miss. Is there anything we can help you with?"

It was a soldier from the Special Disaster Emergency Force. He stopped Yukina.

"Y-yes, excuse me... I-I want to go outside... Please let me out!"

"Outside?"

The soldiers exchanged glances, then examined her more closely.

"I'm very sorry, miss, but before the danger alert is lifted, we cannot irresponsibly allow you to leave like this."

"But! My brother..."

"Please trust our work. Our soldiers will protect everyone's safety. Miss, for your own safety, please do not act irrationally. If you have been separated from a family member, please patiently wait for the final confirmation of the roster."

Without expression, he coldly refused her.

"Just let me go out alone! I definitely won't lead those things here. Please, you have to..."

"Please cooperate with our work."

The enormous, heavy hydraulic valve pushed the door shut inch by inch. It was about to close completely, and Yukina stared desperately at the narrowing gap.

Countless people died every second in this world. She was so afraid that her brother would be one of them.

The people outside held their guns and cautiously retreated inside the door.

"How's the situation outside?"

"Nothing unusual."

"I'll report to the higher-ups. Good work..."

Those soldiers had completely stopped paying attention to Yukina.

Could it really be...

"That's why, if you obediently follow the rules, you'll never be able to take a step forward."

Abruptly, a woman's voice came from right behind her.

Yukina's shoulders jolted in fright. Turning around, she met the gaze of a girl whose face was half-hidden beneath a hood. She could not see the girl's face, but... the other girl seemed to be watching her with great interest.