You Wouldn’t Want That, Would You

With control over her mana lost, the ice layer gradually melted.

Florna struggled to move the unconscious Natsume Oto back onto the shore.

“A half-witch… this is a bit troublesome,” Florna murmured thoughtfully.

So-called witchification, put simply, is when the body is completely remodeled and fused by malice, degenerating into something non-human.

A half-witch refers to a witch who hasn’t been fully transformed yet.

Even so, restoring her to normal would no longer be an easy matter.

At the very least, “honest and open treatment” wouldn’t work anymore.

Once Natsume Oto woke up and was taken over by malice, Florna would probably have no choice but to put her down.

“Still, I could try the accessories in the Ever-Changing Wardrobe!”

A flash of inspiration struck as Florna remembered she did indeed have a handy little tool suitable for Natsume Oto.

“But before that, I should return to my own body.”

After confirming the area was safe, Florna drew a simple magic circle for concealment and protection, to keep the two unconscious magical girls from being carried off by wild beasts.

Her consciousness withdrew from Kirishima Shiro’s body.

Back in the apartment, Florna opened her eyes from light sleep, the first thing she noticed being the soft warmth pressed against her left arm.

Seriana was curled on her side, cheek lightly pressed against Florna, one arm wrapped around hers in an intimate hold.

Florna raised an eyebrow slightly.

So she was being used as a body pillow.

She didn’t move, tacitly allowing Seriana’s behavior.

Being able to save Shiro in time this round was largely thanks to Seriana’s help.

Blinking Divine Arts were fast—almost instant—but they came with limitations.

Unlike spatial magic, they couldn’t be used for long-distance jumps.

If Florna had arrived any later, she’d probably have been preparing Kirishima Shiro’s funeral instead.

Seeming to notice Florna waking up, Seriana murmured softly, “How… did it go?”

At the same time, Seriana secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Florna didn’t resist.

That meant she agreed.

This time, I got to hug Florna’s arm.

Next time, I’ll be able to hug the whole Florna while sleeping.

And the time after that… I don’t even dare imagine what I could do!

The thought made her feel a little excited.

“It went okay.

At least, we saved her.”

It would’ve been even better if Uru hadn’t gotten away.

Thinking about letting Uru escape filled Florna with regret.

If she’d watched the footage earlier, she could have stayed by Kirishima Shiro’s side in advance.

That way, she wouldn’t have needed to possess Shiro in a hurry and fight, alerting the enemy.

…

“Xiao Yin, slow down!”

Panting voices of her companions called out from behind, soft and childish.

But Natsume Oto was like a little deer that couldn’t stop running, her skirt fluttering in small arcs in the wind.

She turned back and waved.

“You’re the slow ones!

Hurry up and catch me!”

The grass beneath her feet was still damp with morning dew.

She giggled as she ran forward, just about to turn back again to urge those lagging behind.

Her vision suddenly exploded in blazing red.

A monster shaped like a giant lizard appeared out of nowhere, spewing flames that swallowed everything behind her.

A scorching shockwave slammed into her, baking her skin with pain.

Countless figures twisted in the fire.

Their faces were unrecognizable, only hollow silhouettes reaching toward her, carrying the stench of burning flesh.

The voices that had been laughing and calling to her moments ago were distorted, hoarse like charred rags being licked by flames.

“Save me!”

“Xiao Yin, it hurts so much!”

“Why were you the only one who escaped?!”

Natsume Oto collapsed to her knees, her expression twisted in agony.

“I’m sorry.”

The scene abruptly changed.

She saw another Natsume Oto, standing atop the ruined remains of Qingteng City.

That version of her had two upward-curving horns on her forehead, surrounded by a pitch-black sea of flames, the air filled with wails.

Her hand was wrapped around Kirishima Shiro’s neck.

“Senior…”

In the blink of an eye, Kirishima Shiro was engulfed in black flames.

“No!”

Natsume Oto jolted awake, fingers twitching.

A dream?

She realized she was wrapped in thick blankets, bound tight like a spring roll.

Coarse hemp ropes weren’t cinched painfully tight, but were more than enough to stop her from moving.

She tried lifting her head.

The back of her skull struck a hard wooden board, making her hiss in pain.

Lowering her gaze, she could see the blanket bulging over her chest, the ropes biting deep into it, rising and falling slightly with her quickened breathing.

“Where is this?”

Her thoughts were in chaos, malicious whispers still echoing in her ears, irritating beyond measure.

Earlier, she’d been forced to fight Silver Moon, overwhelmed by malice.

After that, everything was a blur.

Wait—where was Silver Moon?

She wriggled and squirmed, twisting her body to look around, and spotted Seriana sleeping beside her.

A normal person?

Just to be safe, she used Insight.

With caution, Natsume Oto looked at Seriana again.

In her eyes, Seriana’s form shifted.

Scales.

Demon horns.

Small wings!

A humanoid monster!

Was I captured by monsters?!

Natsume Oto’s heart clenched.

At that moment, Florna pushed the door open and spoke gently.

“You’re awake?”

Natsume Oto’s heart skipped.

A nun?

But when her eyes swept over what Florna was holding, her breathing tightened.

An eyeball was embedded in the cover of that book.

Could it be…

She’s a monster too?!

“Monster!

Where did you take Silver Moon?!”

Facing Natsume Oto’s gritted accusation, Florna turned to the eyeball in confusion.

“Eyeball, is she talking about you?”

【I think she’s lumping all of us together as monsters.】

“I’m talking about you, you cult nun!

Holding some evil scripture made out of an eyeball!

Once I get out of here, I’ll deal with all of you!”

Hearing this, Seriana quietly shifted away from the soon-to-be-unfortunate girl.

The last person who dared call Florna a cultist—grass on their grave was probably taller than a person by now.

Ignorance is not a crime.

Calling her that wouldn’t get her killed, but being thoroughly bullied by Florna was almost guaranteed.

You provoked a scheming saintess.

Just don’t drag me into it.

“Monster?

Cult?

I may be retired, but being called that still troubles me.”

Florna narrowed her eyes, a subtle smile curling her lips.

“The Church respects every belief.

We use each religion’s proper titles when addressing one another.”

“Calling it a cult suggests you’re discriminating against my faith, doesn’t it?”

Under Florna’s dangerous aura, Natsume Oto shrank back slightly, then stubbornly retorted.

“So what if I am?”

“It’s nothing,” Florna said, pointing outside with a wicked smile.

“It just means Magical Girl Silver Moon is about to suffer.”

“Ugh!”

Florna’s words struck Natsume Oto right in her weak spot.

She hated monsters and would never submit to them.

But she didn’t want her magical-girl junior to be hurt because of her.

“Who would’ve thought magical girls would fight among themselves.

You two beat each other half to death, and I just happened to reap the benefits.”

“That’s not it!”

It was all because she fell into Uru’s scheme, lost control, and forced Silver Moon to stop her.

“And now, because of you, I’m not very inclined to help magical girls anymore.

You know, for monsters, a dead magical girl is actually a good thing.”

Thinking that she was the one who injured Silver Moon made guilt surge over Natsume Oto like a tide.

She wanted nothing more than to bury her face into the blankets.

But before she could move, Florna’s fingers pinched her chin, forcing her to look up.

“Poor Silver Moon is gravely injured and hanging by a thread, in desperate need of treatment.

But if someone stubbornly refuses to lower her head and apologize, then Silver Moon might truly be beyond saving.”

She was clearly talking about saving someone, yet the words carried an unmistakable hint of coercion.

“I… I’m sorry,” Natsume Oto murmured, her voice barely audible.

“I can’t hear you.

What did you say?”

“I’m sorry!”

“Knowing your mistake and correcting it makes you a good child.

However, because of your earlier rudeness, I’ve decided to give you a little punishment.”

As she spoke, Florna took out a leather collar from her sleeve, a cross hanging from its center.