Chapter 9: Remember The Ending (2)

It’s not my style to be cautious. I turned my gaze to Emerald, who was looking down at me with a cold gaze.

Hey, since you saved me, what should I do about that magical girl? She seems to have come to save you.

“You.”

“…”

“Are you ignoring me?”

“Are you talking about me?”

It was definitely formal, but it was even more rude than informal speech.

I don’t think Emerald in the original felt like this. Could it be that she felt like this before the original?

No, that’s not true.

There’s no way that someone who had been called the Green Saint since before the original timeline would have a face like that and a cold voice like that.

More than anything, she called me Apocalypse… Maybe she’s the same type as me.

I wanted to greet her happily, but I didn’t think I could pretend to be happy when I was stared at like that. Even though her eyes were cold, they were too cold. Her gaze made it seem like she’d be killed if I said anything.

“What’s your name?”

“Your name? Ah—”

Shouldn’t I not say Apocalypse here?

I thought I might get in big trouble if I blurted out what I was about to say.

I almost got hit by the magic wand filled with hope energy.

“My name is Kari.”

“.”

Actually, the name Kari seemed a bit out of place, but anyway.

Emerald’s momentum, which seemed like she would launch an attack at any moment, began to subside. Although her hope circuit was still running tight.

“Whoa…”

“Follow me.”

“Yes.”

Emerald, who had lifted the fallen magical girl into a princess’s embrace, glanced at me and said. How cold, how cold.

Originally, that kind of coolness was exclusive to Sapphire.

“Well, walking isn’t much of a problem, but… Anyone could see that it was discrimination.

Wasn’t it normal to carry both of them in a situation like this? She might not even want to touch the monster’s (presumed) body.

“Thank you for saving me.”

So I guess I should get insurance in advance.

As I thanked Emerald with an expression that said, “I really don’t know anything,” Emerald’s expression crumpled. Anyone could tell that she was in a bad mood.

The only good thing was that she didn’t shoot a cannon or anything.

The road to the city was filled with silence. This silence was heavy.

It would have been fun if she had just walked while cursing at me, but it was so uncomfortable to keep my mouth shut like a child who had been played a bad prank.

“But I’m not really an affable person.

Although I wanted to imitate Apocalypse and tease him, I knew full well that I shouldn’t play a mean prank in this situation.

If I teased her for no reason, I wouldn’t lose the use of a limb. I could have even died if I did something wrong.

“Is she okay?”

“.”

Again, silence. If this was the reaction I got after talking to her, I should have just kept quiet. Ah, this is why you shouldn’t put people who don’t talk much together.

“Why can’t I just take that one and fly away first?”

It felt strange to see the magical girl walking. If you look closely, it seemed like she was secretly keeping pace with her.

…Well, it probably doesn’t make sense even if I think about it deeply. It’s been a long time since it became completely different from the original.

I had a dream. A terrible nightmare. I woke up screaming, curled up in a ball as if my throat was being strangled.

“Why on earth would you do something like this… People disappeared like flies, magical girls are being brutally murdered. How many times have you felt despair while watching that scene? Monster girls. Monster girls, apocalypse.”

That name would soon be the end of magical girls.

‘Emerald, wake up! There are still people left to save!’

‘But I…!’

There was no way to confront the monster before my eyes. A literal natural disaster. The personification of a disaster that would turn any place you walked into hell. That was the true identity of Apocalypse.

‘I’ll leave it to you, Emerald. You, who have a kinder heart than I.’

‘Ugh…’

I felt nauseous. The memories that came to mind vividly told me that none of this was a dream.

[Emerald, are you okay?]

“Ah.”

[Did you have a nightmare? Come on, I’ll sing you a song that will make you feel better!]

‘_Thank you, May.’

I despaired for a long time. At the longing voice that pierced through the darkness, my vision suddenly became hazy. I was sure that I would have been destroyed by Apocalypse. As I hugged May with trembling hands, May’s signature fresh scent of grass filled my lungs.

[Ehehe, Emerald’s hug feels good after all—]

With my mind gradually calming down, I began to slowly reminisce about the last moments. What on earth happened to me in this world? I tried to find an answer in the cracks of my memories, but the more I tried to recall, the more my mind became clouded.

However, even in that midst, there was one thing I could know for sure. I have to find the Doctor and Apocalypse so that the world doesn’t become like the one in my memories. And then the two of them—

[Emerald, your expression has gotten worse again. Are you feeling unwell?]

“It’s okay, May. Really. I guess you’re still not fully awake.”

I smiled at May, who was looking up at me with a worried expression. There was no time to despair. It was literally a time attack from now on.

July 2201. The calendar I unconsciously looked at had the number 2201 written on it. Apocalypse first appeared in November 2206. I had to find one of the two within five years. No matter what, I had to…

[Emerald, there’s a Gamma-class monster ahead!]

“I know.”

From then on, it was a series of battles. During the day, I dealt with the monsters that invaded the center, and at night, I went around the outskirts of the city to find traces of the Doctor and Apocalypse.

I first visited the place where the Doctor used to be a base, but it was still just a wasteland with nothing there.

“Emerald-san, don’t you think the atmosphere has changed?”

“If you said it felt soft before, it feels really cold these days?”

“I like the changed Emerald-san too. Everyone likes cool beauties, right?”

I couldn’t find any leisure because I was constantly moving my body during my waking hours. Interactions with people have decreased, and my tired body and mind have become less able to express my emotions. The only time I could smile was when talking to my partner, May.

It’s okay. I can still hold on. After I find the Doctor, I can rest as much as I want.

I exhaled while washing my dry face. Where on earth is he? Where on earth can I find him?

As time passed, my anxiety grew worse and worse.

“If I can’t find him like this, I’m sure… Surely, the events in my memory would happen again.”

I clutched my head as I recalled the image of the magical girl who had been literally torn in half, with both legs held.

No. This can’t happen. I need to spend more time.

[Emerald, I think I’ve been overdoing it lately… Wouldn’t it be okay to rest for a day?]

“I don’t have time to rest.”

I have to find him, absolutely. I only got about three hours of sleep a day, and the rest of my time was spent either eliminating monsters or searching for the Doctor’s lab. I wandered around in all directions, chasing traces of despair in my memories.

And that effort wasn’t in vain, as she was finally able to find traces.

[Emerald, your despair level is too high. Wouldn’t it be better to call for support?]

“This is fine. I’ll handle it quietly, May.”

A research lab deep underground. Just breathing made her lungs fill with despair, as if a thousand fires were boiling inside her.

“Whew…”

There were no traces of Apocalypse. However, if she could figure out the pattern of despair energy spreading throughout the lab, she would definitely be able to reach the lab where Apocalypse was someday.

[Hope energy recharge complete. Are you ready, Emerald?]

“Yeah, I’m ready. May.”

Perhaps because she had more experiences than she did in the past, her current self was much stronger than her then self. She gathered the hope energy that had filled her body and moved it in front of her staff.

‘No, maybe it’s not because of experience! The more hope a magical girl had, the stronger she became.’

Then, just how strong would I have become, having returned from the ruined world and gained hope in saving everyone?

I slowly opened my mouth, looking at the compressed hope energy at the tip of my staff.

“This time, I will definitely save everyone!”

“Emerald Splash!”

And at that moment, all directions were filled with green light. With hope so intense that it evaporated the despair that filled this space in an instant.

[Despair energy completely dissipated! Purification complete, Emerald!]

I looked up at the sky while listening to May’s voice in the white-tinted scenery. The black sky, and in its midst, a single, tiny star was faintly shining.