Chapter 188 – Magical Girls in the Sky (8)
“What is right?”
As she soared across the night sky, Shia couldn’t stop her thoughts. She was almost at her destination, yet uncertainty loomed large. What should she say to Aria? Was her action truly the right one? She was supposed to be the one convincing, yet she found herself wanting to vent to Aria and ask for answers.
Before long, she spotted Aria waiting at the meeting spot.
“I really don’t know anymore.”
Seeing Aria looking up at the sky, Shia squeezed her eyes shut. Normally, she would greet Aria with a bright smile, but now, she couldn’t muster a grin.
“Welcome, Shia.”
To her surprise, Aria welcomed her with a bitter smile.
Seeing that smile, Shia found herself unable to approach Aria, despite having come down from the rooftop.
“I heard you have something to say.”
“Y-yes, Hero.”
Even so, Aria approached Shia with an air of indifference. This made Shia’s voice tremble at the edges as she struggled to share her thoughts.
“Speak up!”
Shia couldn’t believe her frozen body. Explaining the greatness and justice of the divine heaven to these ignorant beings was easier than flipping a coin for her. As a saint responsible for the Hero’s moral education, she had confidence in guiding the Hero.
But this time, it was different. The words she had prepared and the habits she had honed simply wouldn’t come out. It was too hard for her to convey the message of fighting alongside the angels to Aria. After all, Aria was a Hero meant to battle evil, including the Demon King.
This was clear evidence that Shia’s heart was profoundly shaken.
“Hero. I…”
“There’s been a recent emergence of Magical Girls. The trio people call the Magical Girls of the Sky.”
“!!!”
In that tense moment, Aria, who already knew everything, opened her mouth first.
“They seem a bit similar to you, Shia. White wings and that unique… aura.”
It didn’t stop there.
Shia’s pale eyes wavered. Although Aria spoke calmly, her words felt like a hammer to Shia’s ears.
“Are they related to you?”
“…Yes.”
She couldn’t deny it. With just one question from Aria, she ended up acknowledging her connection with the angels.
“I don’t know how you’ll take this, but I cannot tolerate those who seek to overturn the world and disrupt the existing order. By my standards, they are evil and chaos.”
“…”
“I won’t fight alongside them. I’ll strive to stop them instead. So what do you plan to do?”
Having prepared herself for this outcome, Aria conveyed her feelings calmly. Knowing what kind of righteousness Aria upheld, Shia couldn’t muster a counterargument. The thought of considering the angels she served as enemies left her with nothing but helplessness.
“I don’t want to fight you, Shia.”
In that moment, Aria’s words struck deep into Shia’s heart.
“Please, give me an answer.”
Having never felt such mental disarray before, Shia unknowingly prayed. She begged her angel Asmael to provide her with answers.
However, Asmael, who had even taken the Sacred Sword from her, remained silent.
“Of course, nothing is set in stone yet. Try to convince me, Shia.”
“…Hero. Please.”
As Shia instinctively realized this was her last chance, she finally opened her mouth. However, she struggled as her throat felt tight.
Panic. Her breath quickened, and the sparkling night view spun around her, leaving only Aria’s face in her sight. It was sheer panic.
“I can’t help it, but please.”
Shia wasn’t the only one pleading earnestly. Aria, who had given up her choice, was also internally tense, swallowing dryly.
Her desire to avoid a fight was genuine.
Yet when confronted with Shia’s steadfast and robust figure, the likelihood of her defying the heaven’s intentions seemed minimal.
“Please be careful of the sky—specifically, the recently appeared Magical Girls.”
But the words Shia had mustered were shocking.
“They are aiming for Takilas. Their means are results, competition for results. They will not hold back for anything.”
“You… didn’t come here to ask me to fight alongside them?”
“I did, but right now I can’t…”
With difficulty, Shia managed to speak while shaking her head, grasping her pounding heart. For a saint like her to oppose the will of heaven was unimaginable.
“Those individuals, no—they are immensely frightening and unfathomable. Please, don’t engage with them. It’s impossible to predict their inner motives, and they show no mercy to their enemies.”
“I know what they are. But I’m a Magical Girl. I fight for this world and its people. I won’t just stand idly by and watch those who wish to destroy it.”
With a pale face, Shia begged, but Aria, faintly smiling, shook her head.
“But…!”
“There’s no need to worry too much.”
Surprisingly, Aria’s firm resolve caused Shia’s heart to sink, catching her off guard. It was then that an unfamiliar voice murmured from behind them.
Panicked, Shia turned to identify the source of the voice, gasping in shock.
“I won’t strike openly.”
Emerging from the shadows of the rooftop, Takilas stood, his red eyes gleaming in the clear moonlight.
“How… T-Takilas!”
“Let’s skip discussing things we both already know. You get what a duel means and how it plays out, right?”
“W-what?!”
“I didn’t bring you here to have a chat, did I? Is that all you have to say? Be cautious of the angels, or should I say the rookie Magical Girls in angel disguises?”
With a smile, Takilas strolled past the shocked Shia, casually standing beside Aria, who looked distinctly unhappy. He even placed a hand on Aria’s waist, showing off.
Aria swatted his hand away in exasperation, while Shia trembled, unable to believe her own eyes.
“Aria has already teamed up with me. So you better decide. The choice is yours.”
“I… I…”
With her heart wavering, Shia faced a forced decision, her eyes swirling chaotically. Until now, she believed she could remain faithful to heaven’s will, even if she had to hide Aria. But witnessing Takilas so closely next to her drove her emotions up.
“There’s no need for you to fight us!”
“Why is she acting like this again?”
Takilas grinned, and when he made another move toward Aria, she stepped aside in irritation.
“Ugahhh!”
And in that moment, Shia finally exploded.
With the clanking of armor that constricted her body, she rushed forward, forcefully wedging herself between Takilas and Aria.
“I will stand with the Hero! Not with you!”
Shia, hiding Aria behind her, pointed her finger at Takilas. She flinched at her bold proclamation, but Takilas nodded in satisfaction at the sight.
“That’s sufficient.”
Having anticipated Shia’s intentions, Takilas realized she would ultimately join Aria’s side and cross over into his camp.
*
“So, what’s the plan now?”
“Once the starting bell rings, we’ll need to move fast. Why does the rather normal Sandalphon let Razak be? He’s saving the big catch for when the count begins.”
“What about us?”
“I plan to join you guys by then.”
Takilas shared the broad strokes of their plan and the situation. Particularly, Aria’s face stiffened at the mention of Razak, who had still not been captured and was causing ongoing destruction.
The only SSS-rank monster available for results was currently Razak. However, Aria couldn’t participate abroad at present.
“I know that. So, you just need to do your part here. It’s nothing complicated. Just act like a ‘Magical Girl.’ Fight the villains and help the weak while delivering justice.”
“But that puts us at a disadvantage.”
“That guy, Michael, won’t focus all his efforts on Razak. I’m confident that he’s likely more engrossed in something else than this duel.”
Aria seemed perplexed by Takilas trying to exclude her, but he shook his head.
“What kind of mindset does he have? Is he unhappy living in a world that doesn’t follow his ideals, or is he content with the adoration of a handful of extreme followers?”
Having analyzed Michael’s traits, Takilas concluded that Michael wouldn’t mobilize with other angels to capture Razak.
The changes in environment and the stirring of desires; ironically, Takilas had sensed those feelings since he arrived on Earth.
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