Chapter 49: If I Hate You, I Will Do It Again (8)

After a brief commotion, Garnet hesitated as if asking if she could really go like this.

She was unable to move forward easily.

No, she really could go, right?

“I don’t know who you are, but I will never forget this favor.”

“Yes, yes, please do that.”

“…. Are you sure you don’t mind if I let you go?”

Why on earth is this person so squeamish?

Even if I told him he could go?

Aside from the fact that he had barged into the hospital room and wielded a knife, he seemed unable to bear just receiving help.

People like this are the most annoying, the most annoying.

‘Oh, right. I have an idea of a place where I can use this guy in a fun way.’

“If you want to repay the favor I received so much, can you grant me one favor?”

“… What favor?”

“I’m sure it’s a very interesting story for you, too.”

As I raised the corners of my lips at the amusing thought, Garnet’s expression became tense.

It was as if he was saying that he didn’t know how much of a request I could ask, but honestly, it wasn’t really that much of a request.

Rather, it would have been good if it had been good for Garnet.

“You were looking for the whereabouts of a suspicious man with crossed eyes, right?”

“…!! You know?!”

“First of all—yes, he’s alive. I can confirm it because I saw it with my own two eyes.”

“He was alive after all, that bastard…”

Garnet seemed to have held a grudge against Curse for various reasons.

That collar full of despair must have been Curse’s work as well.

“I’m going to go look for him tomorrow morning. Do you want to come with me?”

“What…?”

“What do you do after you find him? It’s up to you. Even if you kill him.”

There was always something about the fight between a magical girl and a monster that made my heart race.

Even more, a fight between Curse and a magical girl who hated Curse.

“I’m already excited, ugh.”

I covered my mouth reflexively because I thought a sinister laugh would come out.

Just how great of a fight would Garnet put up against Curse?

Both of them had a history of poking holes in my body, so I was even more excited.

Of course, Curse would have the advantage in a head-on fight, but what if Garnet made a surprise attack?

My heart started pounding as I played out the battle simulation in my head.

“Can I win?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Well, I’ll probably find out tomorrow.”

I smiled at Garnet, who was tilting her head.

Garnet had seen Curse when he was human, so it was likely that she wouldn’t notice right away.

Her voice was different, as her vocal cords had changed from a human head to a monster head.

“Now, go ahead.”

As I opened the window, the cool breeze typical of the early morning flowed into the hospital room.

I definitely felt bad when I was stabbed, but now I felt somewhat cheerful.

Is it because I ate despair?

Hmm, after all, people get less irritable when they fill their stomachs.

I nodded at the obvious fact and saw Garnet off.

Then, I’ll see you tomorrow, Magical Girl.

“What the hell is that guy…”

Garnet sighed and lightly placed her finger on the wound where the monster—no, Akari—had bitten her.

It hurt, but not that much.

It was a gentle bite that anyone could tell was done with some control.

Although I don’t really know how a bite can be gentle.

Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Magical Girl.

She ruffled her hair as she recalled the shape of his mouth from the last time she saw him.

One doctor was enough for a guy whose intentions were unknowable, but now that she thought she had gotten away from the doctor, something worse had latched onto her.

No, this time it wasn’t her opponent; it was her own latching onto her.

“Garnet, what did I say? Double the enmity! Tenfold the favor!”

“_Senior.”

What kind of attitude should one take toward someone who repays one’s enmity with kindness?

Garnet’s mind was still vivid with the events of the early morning.

Every time she thought that it might have been a dream, she pictured Akari’s face.

“Freedom, huh…”

A while ago—until dawn—she had swept away the collar that had been tied around her neck.

As long as the doctor was alive, she had thought that freedom was something she could only imagine.

But who would have thought that she would gain such a ridiculous amount of freedom?

Dingdong, dingdong, dingdong—dingdong!

“Ah, I’m going out. I’m going out!”

In the midst of calming her anxious mind, the piercing sound of the doorbell made Garnet get up from her seat nervously.

She didn’t know what kind of guy was ringing the doorbell so early in the morning, but she roughly opened the front door, determined to give him a good scolding.

“Hey, being so noisy so early in the morning—”

“_Senior? Are you hurt?”

—Peridot?

However, what Garnet saw before her eyes was not a peddler or someone trying to solicit religion.

It was Peridot.

Her precious junior and someone she had to protect.

Usually, Garnet would wake up first and go wake up Peridot, who was sleeping in.

So the moment she saw Peridot standing in front of the door in an awkward posture, she couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

“Peridot didn’t sleep in and came to my house…?”

“Why are you surprised by that? And the sun has already been high in the sky for a long time, senpai.”

Peridot’s eyes turned sharp as if she was in pain.

Even though she made such a threatening expression, to Garnet, it just looked like a red panda threatening her.

“The sun is high in the sky?”

“That’s right! Do you know how worried I was when you were supposed to come when you were supposed to come?”

“I’m sorry…”

She wondered if she should apologize, but since Peridot was already angry, she decided to go ahead and apologize.

More importantly, it was already this late.

She was completely out of it.

“So, what’s with that scar?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Look at me. It wasn’t a monster wound, was it?”

“It really wasn’t anything serious. I disinfected it and put a bandage on it, so it’ll get better soon.”

Garnet sighed as she calmed down Peridot, who was tugging at the hem of her dress.

If she had known this would happen, she should have put something around her neck before coming out.

If not knowing that it was Peridot who rang the doorbell was a mistake, then it was a mistake.

“Well, anyway… This is my win in the bet, senpai.”

“…A bet? What kind of bet?”

“Don’t you remember? You clearly said, ‘If I wake up later than you, I’ll grant you one wish.'”

“Ah.”

She certainly said that, but did Peridot still remember it?

Even if she did remember, she couldn’t have slept in until now.

Garnet sighed, feeling speechless, and began to press Peridot’s crown.

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t even sleep, let alone wake up later than you?”

“I don’t know about that, but since it’s true that I came to wake you up, Senpai, please grant me your wish!”

“Not even a child.”

In fact, it was a child.

The problem was that she was too unstable to be left alone.

Garnet shook her head as Peridot desperately wrapped her arms around her while her head was being crushed.

There was no way she could leave this girl alone like this—

“Ah.”

“What’s wrong, Senpai?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Leaving… I see. I’m about to leave Peridot.

The world she lived in was different in the first place.

Unlike Peridot, who possessed only purity, Garnet had already been tainted by darkness.

The test subjects she had killed with her own hands—no, there were already dozens of people.

Since a magical girl who was supposed to exist to protect people was harming people, it would be better to see her as literally disqualified as a magical girl.

“Fine. I don’t know what your wish is, but if it’s a wish I can grant, I will grant it.”

“Uh, is it okay if I tell you later instead of now? I haven’t thought of anything yet!”

“If I don’t tell you today, your wish will be canceled.”

“Ugh, how could there be such a thing!”

“So think about it quickly.”

In fact, it would have been okay to take your time and speak slowly.

Even so, if there was a reason why they set a deadline of today, then yes.

Today might be the last day I can see Peridot, right?

Even if Akari’s words were a lie, Garnet had no choice but to go see the professor.

The professor was the only person she could vent her anger and hatred for all the absurd things she had suffered so far.

It was a twisted and distorted emotion that could be called love and hate.

That’s why she had to see it through to the end.

No matter what, she had to.

“Oh, really! If I do this, it’ll make me seem like a bad person, Senpai!”

“I don’t really think like that, so just tell me. I’ll really listen.”

“Uh, um. Then…?”

Peridot paused for a moment, clenching her fists and making a face as if she had made up her mind.

What on earth was she trying to say with such a solemn expression?

Even though Garnet thought it was clearly a trivial wish, Peridot’s seriousness made her feel a little tense.

“Can you stay with me forever?”

“…”

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. Well, what should I say? It’s my fault that my senior has been showing a lack of motivation lately. It’s a wish I’m making because I’m hoping that you’ll quit being a magical girl.”

“_Haha.”

She really is a kid who’s quick-witted in unnecessary places.

Garnet let out a hollow laugh at Peridot’s words.

Just as she said, she was planning on quitting being a magical girl soon.

Although she wasn’t sure how that would come about.

“Of course, you’re mean and say harsh things to me often, but you’re also the one who cares for me the most. Oh, and there’s also that saying, ‘Even if you hate me, try again!'”

“That’s why, when you start to hate me, please give me one more chance. Because if you leave without saying anything, I think it’ll be really hard for me.”

The green eyes that met mine again were filled with anxiety.

As expected, he was a guy who was quick-witted only in useless areas.

It was a little bitter, but it was still a little bitter.