Regarding Becoming a Magical Girl

She couldn't help wondering if she had accidentally stumbled upon some serious secret.

Why did it have to be kept secret?

What had Efnir meant when she said, "Your identity is 'Fifina'"?

"Fifina"...

Did she mean the "Fifina" she knew?

But Yukina couldn't hear the full conversation between Efnir and Shinomiyami Nami. Unable to judge, she could only remain silent.

Efnir didn't speak either. A faint fragrance lingered at her nose, and the tangible feeling of their tight embrace made her feel at ease.

She didn't want to leave Yukina.

She couldn't let Yukina walk the path of an Agent.

So she didn't know how to explain it to Yukina, who knew nothing.

For Yukina's sake, Efnir was willing to do anything; nothing else mattered. But she had gradually come to realize that simply running away would eventually bring her to the edge of a cliff, with no way left to retreat.

"...I'm truly despicable."

She was using the identity of her little sister's favorite idol, relying on her in such a shameful way.

Yukina was the one who had been hurt, yet she shamelessly sought comfort and warmth from her.

The battle wasn't over, yet all she could think about was how to run away.

Efnir suddenly thought of Shiyin and Rin.

To them, who had always placed their hopes in her, this version of herself was probably a betrayal...

"Miss Efnir...?"

Yukina's soft voice reached her ears.

"It's nothing..."

Efnir tightly shut her eyes and tightened her arms around Yukina.

Once the silence was broken, the brief warmth between them would begin counting down, and it would take away Efnir's reason to keep running.

Efnir took a deep breath, wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, and pulled away from Yukina's shoulder.

"Thank you, Yukina... I've always made you face your choices alone. I'm sorry. I won't do that anymore."

She stood up and lowered her gaze slightly.

Yukina merely looked up at her blankly, listening to words she couldn't understand at all.

In the span of a breath, when Efnir raised her eyes again, the gloom in them had vanished, replaced by a smile as dazzling as starlight.

Yukina stared at her in a daze.

Though tears still marked the corners of her eyes, her eye sockets were flushed red, and her throat was hoarse from crying, Yukina knew that Efnir had returned to being the invincible "Magical Girl Efnir." Even though her petite body was a head shorter than Yukina's, her presence alone could overwhelm anyone.

"Sorry... for letting you see such an embarrassing sight. If it made you uncomfortable, I apologize."

"N-No, not at all!"

Yukina hurriedly stood up, flattered, and brushed the dust from the hem of her clothes.

"Please don't mind something like that! I wasn't uncomfortable! The fact that Miss Efnir could rely on me... I... I'm really happy!"

Yukina instinctively denied it loudly, then suddenly realized that such a vehement reaction might be misunderstood and hurriedly looked away.

She still couldn't fully understand everything that had happened in this short time, but she knew that the gentle Efnir she admired had returned.

"S-Sorry! I-I didn't mean anything else by that! I just think... Miss Efnir is very gentle... Someone as gentle and hardworking as you could never be hated... And besides, I should be the one thanking you! Because of you, I learned about my brother. Without you, I wouldn't have known what to do..."

She was confused and bewildered by Efnir's words, guilty and worried over Efnir's tears and vulnerability, yet secretly delighted and thrilled by Efnir's embrace.

And there was that faint, warm, damp breath against her neck, an itch that pierced straight into her heart.

Her heart wouldn't stop racing.

It was as if she had returned to their first meeting—the brilliant sunlight that day, the warm and pleasant breath, the soft lips.

Her first kiss. Her first fluttering heart.

This feeling was utterly unfamiliar, yet overwhelmingly intense, leaving Yukina at a loss.

"Um..."

Her cheeks grew scorching hot.

Yukina took a deep breath. Before she realized it, the words in her heart had already slipped out.

"Miss Efnir, do you remember... saving me once more than half a year ago?"

That earlier embrace had felt like only two minutes, yet also endlessly long. That faint scent of her hair lingered in her mind.

Her heartbeat suddenly became unrestrained.

Yukina lowered her head and stared intently at her dirtied little white shoes, her fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes.

"Back then... if it hadn't been for you, I would have died long ago. You reached out your hand and saved me... T-To me... perhaps you don't remember me anymore... but I've always wanted to properly thank you... So... no matter for what, please accept my thanks—Miss Efnir! Thank you so much!"

She had finally said it.

Yukina raised her eyes timidly and nervously, cautiously stealing a glance at Efnir.

Efnir pressed her lips together, then suddenly turned away. Her small figure stood with silver hair flowing down her back.

Yukina couldn't see her expression.

There was no answer.

Perhaps...

As expected, she didn't remember.

Efnir had saved so many people. To her, Yukina was probably just a wildflower that had happened to receive her shade, insignificant amid the long stretch of scenery.

No one remembered her first kiss except herself.

Her heart quieted as though it had heaved a sigh of relief.

Yet for some reason, disappointment filled her chest at that very moment.

Yukina lowered her head.

"S-Sorry... That was abrupt. I just said all that on my own... Please don't mind it if it caused you trouble!"

"Is that so..."

Efnir's voice was very soft, drifting down like a feather.

"Anyway, seeing that you're still so spirited puts me at ease."

"Ah... y-yes! I'm very sorry... for causing trouble for you and Miss Shinomiyami..."

"It's alright. We bear some responsibility too."

Efnir turned around and paused.

"About your brother... once this is over, I'll take you to see her. I have something to tell you too."

"You really don't need to trouble yourself, Miss Efnir..."

"It's alright... But we can talk about these things later."

Efnir looked toward the sky outside, where the enormous floating island blocked out the sunlight like a deep, dark cloud.

Yukina suddenly understood.

Right. Unlike herself, who only needed to worry about her own safety, Efnir had a duty to fight.

"It'll be dangerous if you stay here. That black 'whale' isn't easy to deal with. My companions can't take it down alone, so I have to go back. Before that, I'll get you out of here first. Come over here."

"O-Okay!"

Efnir beckoned to her. Yukina hurried to the table, picked up the phone her brother had dropped there, then ran over to Efnir.

"I'm terribly sorry, this is Miss Efnir's lounge, right? I... I don't know why my brother's phone was here either. May I take it with me?"

"It's fine, take it... And this too. It belongs to you."

Efnir handed Yukina her phone.

"Thank you very much!"

"Then, you might feel a little uncomfortable next. Excuse me."

Before Yukina could react, Efnir bent slightly, wrapped one arm behind Yukina's waist and the other beneath her thighs, and lifted her up.

"Eh??"

"I'm going to jump."

"Eek!? W-Wait!"

Yukina looked outside. Since the panoramic glass had been completely shattered, she could see almost the entire venue from here.

The venue's design was unique and grand. Looking down from here was even more terrifying than standing on the balcony of a tenth-floor apartment.

"W-We're jumping from here?"

Yukina's face turned slightly pale.

"Hold on tight."

Yukina couldn't bring herself to resist Efnir's commanding tone. After hesitating for only a moment, she tremblingly raised her arms around Efnir's neck and held on tightly.

Their faces were so, so close in this position.

She instinctively closed her eyes.

Yet when everything before her turned dark, Efnir's voice, the fragrance of her hair, and her breathing became even clearer.

She could almost hear Efnir's heartbeat.

Though it was completely inappropriate, Yukina's face instantly turned red.

"Senior Efnir, there's an emergency here!"

Canary's urgent voice suddenly came through Efnir's earpiece. At the same time, Shinomiyami Nami's voice also sounded in it.

"Efnir! We've detected a signal source with unknown matching information behind the 'Erosion Entity'! Energy wavelength analysis result... 'Agent.'"

28, Apostle

"'Agent'?"

Efnir froze for a moment and stopped walking. She hadn't received any orders from the Orderkeepers to deploy additional support.

Could it be Lily?

But Lily should still be inactive while recovering from her injuries. And what did it mean for the matching information to be unknown...

"No, no... at least, not any Agent we know."

Shinomiyami Nami immediately said.

"The signal source cannot be matched with the database at all. It does not belong to any known Beacon."

"Could it be..."

"I can already see her from here."

Canary's voice carried a slight pant. She spoke quickly.

"Target confirmed. She appears to be nothing more than an ordinary young girl. No obvious offensive weapons in sight, and no combat suit either... Miss Shinomiyami, I'm transmitting the visuals to you."

"Received. Headquarters is beginning simultaneous analysis."

"The target is approaching us. Strangely, she isn't being attacked by the Erosion Entity. Senior Efnir, I request permission to move in for further confirmation."

Ayse added.

"Wait a moment, Ayse, Canary. Don't rush in."