V2: Chapter 13: I'm Not Worried at All, Am I?

Chapter 13: I'm Not Worried at All, Am I?

I pecked at the yellow duck floating on the water's surface, submerged up to my ears in the bathtub, creating bubbles...and then sank back into the sea of ​​thoughts. My long, beautiful hair swayed gently, just like my own feelings.

After that, the girl who introduced herself as Tinkerbell didn't try to restrain me, but instead tried to take me home... then she suddenly realized what she was saying and fell silent.

That's right, taking a magical girl home... is nothing less than discovering her identity.

So after seeing me off to the entrance, she reluctantly returned to their base.

If she only wanted to use me as a pawn, she wouldn't have let me go back alone. Currently, I'm the only one who knows their base. If she wanted to, she could even launch a full-scale attack with the entire association's forces.

In other words...she really just adores me.

What should I do...? 　

It was dismissed with the single word "rationality," but it's a very important thing.

Even setting aside this incident as an anomaly, the current association president's judgment was correct. In fact, the vast majority of those who ignored her orders and went to rescue either never returned or suffered lasting injuries.

Considering the girls who were saved by following orders, rationality certainly leads to saving someone's life. In fact, if Gracia had been in perfect health, she wouldn't have been defeated by the "Second Demon King."

Magical girls aren't gods.

I know that. Even I, if it was too late before I arrived... there was nothing I could do. The dead can't be brought back, and sometimes I can't heal the emotional wounds of the kidnapped girls.

That said, I'm not a saint to continue patrolling at the expense of my private life and sleep.

"Haa..."

A sigh escaped my lips. It was so unlike me... I thought. I'd rarely worried like this before; this is why I'm so bad at dealing with people. If it were an External Enemy, there'd be no need to worry or hold back.

"...Something bothering you?"

"Everyone likes me, but... why do we keep missing each other like this?"

In reality, those unaffiliated Magical Girls who were there were probably saved. Taking them in, whom the association couldn't save, was undoubtedly a good deed. Their beliefs and ideologies differed; both were right...and both were wrong. It really depended.

I was so preoccupied with these thoughts that I finally realized where I was and who I was talking to.

"W-why are you here, Lux? This is the bathroom...?"

"Mother said, 'Shizuku seemed down,' and asked me to check on you..."

Was it that obvious on my face? I'm usually good at hiding my emotions.　

"Was I that easy to read?"

"I think it's because she's your Mother. Even so, you seemed to be deep in thought."　

As Lux entered the bathtub, the overflowing water spilled out.

Everyone, everywhere... has their limits.

I thought it was a fairly spacious bath, but it was definitely too cramped for a middle schooler and an adult woman. Her ample bosom was pressing against my back, but I wasn't feeling much emotion—perhaps because I was feeling a bit deflated.

"Your beautiful hair will get damaged, you know?"

"...Mm, thanks."

After gently stroking my hair, she tied it up and made a bun on top of my head. I feel a little more at ease than before, perhaps because someone is nearby... or maybe because it's Lux. I don't know. But her presence forces me to confront something else... something I've been avoiding.

"If you were to attack me in this situation... I wouldn't be able to resist."

"It's not good to give up, is it?"

I wondered if I wouldn't have to think about anything if I belonged to someone. It seems she saw right through my shallow thoughts. That's right, being kept like this doesn't fit my principles. And more than anything, it was disrespectful to Lux.

"What if Lux... or those succubi..."

What am I trying to say? I shouldn't say something like that.

Dreams should remain dreams, and aspirations should remain aspirations.

"What if me saving you all was just a coincidence, and even if that wasn't, at most it was merely self-satisfaction... would you be disillusioned?"

... I said it.

I must have been quite distressed. Even if it was something I had to say someday, it definitely wasn't now. I should have had the responsibility to clear up the misunderstanding properly in the right setting.

"Hmm, I don't think that matters."

"W-why...?"

"Even if that were the case, the fact remains that we were saved. No one else reached out to us, and you were the only one who did. That alone... is more than enough for those of us who were saved, isn't it?

Isn't it better to do something, even if it's hypocritical, than to do nothing?" 

Her words, as she continued, somehow made the burden of guilt I'd been carrying until now begin to lighten. Perhaps this day, I was finally able to see Lux Luxuria without prejudice.

"And do you know? Love is blind, you know?"

"... I... I see."

Her slender fingers stroked my head, as if she were cherishing a precious treasure. It was a little ticklish, but for some reason, I didn't mind. I let her caress me, slowly organizing my thoughts.

"Loving someone is difficult, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is difficult. When you're sad, my heart feels like it's going to break."

The world is full of things I don't understand. I don't know what's right and what's wrong. Even so, there must be one thing that's right.

"And, I have a message from your Mother."

I felt a slight flutter in my heart as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, a sign that I was feeling more at ease than before. I now had enough composure to enjoy the feeling of her touching my back.

"'Do whatever you want!' she said. Do I get her message across to you?"

Heh, that's my Mom for you. 

Yes, if there's one thing that's right... I decide what I do. What's right doesn't matter; I can decide based on what I want to do. My world revolves around me.

"Yeah, thanks. I understand... about what I should do."

"I understand a little bit too. That face is definitely more like you, Satellite-chan, isn't it?"

I tried to stand up, but felt a little dizzy. Probably because I'd been in the bath too long.

"...I think I'm a little lightheaded. Can I lean on your shoulder?"

"Oh, if you're seducing me, I'd be happy to?"

"N-no, that's not it...!?"

I feel bad for her giggling, but it doesn't suit my sexual preferences. I still want to be cornered to the point of helplessness. I don't want to be on equal footing; I want to be kept as a pet. I know how she feels, and I know I'm a selfish person for that.

"I'll put you to sleep tonight so you can sleep well, okay? As a succubus, I have a lot to say about sleep, you know?"

"Uh, yes... I guess I'll take you up on that."

Before I knew it, I was being carried and found myself lying in bed.

Lux, who usually acts as a mascot, had snuggled into the covers in her pajamas and hugged me. It was a different kind of embrace than my Mom's; it felt like that of a grown woman.

Her ample bosom pressed against my face, and even though we were using the same shampoo, a sweet scent filled the blankets. I wondered if I could really sleep in this situation, or if I would just get excited...

But then, her body temperature and the beating of her heart were so comforting that I gradually began to feel sleepy. It was as if she was using magic; my eyelids slowly grew heavy.

I see, this is... certainly... reassuring...

★

I slept so well, it was as if yesterday's worries had vanished. Thanks to a good night's sleep, my mind was much clearer than yesterday.  

What should I do now?

To put it simply... I can't become their King, or it should Queen in this case.

And considering their objective... if their only goal is to undermine the authority of the Magical Girl Association, the means are simple. They just need to defeat the top three in the association and demonstrate their own strength. The association also serves as a deterrent against Magical Girls who don't follow the rules.

A deterrent without power is meaningless.

And if they were to target me... it's unlikely, both emotionally and strategically.

That leaves Gracia (second place) or Bradia (third place)... no, there's also the possibility of both. Hm, yeah no, they probably wouldn't.

She's so driven by ideals, she doesn't seem like the type to give up on a single goal. And if I were in her shoes to go... it would be the former; Gracia is definitely in danger right now...

Seriously, why do I have to think about all this? While I knew this was the job of the Squire Association President... there was a reason I couldn't rely on her. There was a possibility she might object to what I was trying to do.

★

The following evening... things moved faster than I had anticipated. Radio interference centered around two locations a little distance from the city. Judging from the wavelength of the magic, it was likely an electromagnetic-based magical girl capable of affecting a wide area. It was like bait dangled in the water; we had no choice but to bite. Even knowing it was a trap, protecting peace is our job.

"I'm going now, Lux."

"See you later, Satellite-chan♡"

I guessed that Gracia ​​was probably heading this way, given her assigned area, and headed towards the source of the radio interference.

And going towards Gracia ​​wasn't because I was abandoning Bradia... After all, Bradia is stronger when there are no people around.