CH 71

Chapter 71

Chapter 2 — Expand, my world! • Episode 2-Leisure • Waking Up

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

A Magical Girl in a dress with woven ivy embroidery hesitated for a moment before knocking on the white door, and then took a deep breath as if she was ready.

A small, dry knocking sound echoed from inside, and a voice urging her to enter returned from inside.

The girl who opened the door, Dryad, saw the Magical Girl Vampire who hadn’t yet awakened and Magical Girl Reflect with a startled expression on her face.

「Dryad-san! …Where have you been all this time!?」

Reflecting on the sudden disappearance of her friend, who had not been seen or heard from in nearly a month, Reflect’s face contorted as if she was trying to hold something back after her surprise, and she quickly walked up to Dryad and put her cheek on her face.

「…I’m sorry. I’ll explain it all. I was out of control.」

「I was really, really worried about you! Vampire-chan won’t wake up, and if even Dryad-san is gone, I’m…」

「I’m really, very sorry.」

Her voice, which at first was stern as if accusing Dryad, soon became trembling as if she was about to cry, and she gently embraced Dryad. Of course she was angry at her for leaving the Vampire in such a state and going away, but she was more worried about her. Perhaps something happened to the dryad.

Reflect is a Magical Girl who was originally active in the Hōzuki Town. She was found as a Magical Girl to replace the Magical Girl who had previously protected the town, and for the next several years she protected it alone. The absence of other Magical Girls was due to the fact that girls with qualities were hard to find, but until a few months ago, the rate of distrances was so low that a single person could protect the town.

But just because one person can protect someone doesn’t mean she can only protect many alone. No matter how much the function of emotional suppression can suppress fear and anxiety, it is only when it was relative to the Diest.  Even if she suddenly get tired of fighting for her life, she have no friends to sympathize with or to encourage each other.

Reflect’s life as a Magical Girl was not only a battle of Diest but also a battle against loneliness.

Then one day, Dryad came along. Originally fighting in another town and moving here for family reasons, this Magical Girl was caustic and strict, but trustworthy without being crooked as a person. While some Magical Girls do not like the idea of another Magical Girl entering their territory, Reflect welcomed Dryad and became her reliable partner.

Dryad also liked the fact that she had defended the town by herself and that she was not bound by silly values such as territoriality, and there was no major problem for the two of them to work together in the struggle.

For Reflect, who has always fought alone, Dryad is the first irreplaceable friend she has made. Of course, Vampire who was found a little later as a newcomer was also an important friend, and the three of them wanted to work together to protect the town in a friendly manner.

Then Vampire was mortally wounded, and as if to follow up, Dryad disappeared. Reflect has managed to keep going despite the hard times because she cannot abandon her mission to protect the town, but her spirit has always been on the edge of its limits. Like a taut thread, she was trapped, ready to break at any moment.

That is why, for whatever reason, she was glad that Dryad had returned. She didn’t want to continue fighting alone anymore.

「I wasn’t prepared to let her risk her life.」

Sitting next to the sleeping Vampire on the bed, Dryad began to speak penitently.

That she was prepared to risk her own life. But she thought she understood how painful and sad it was for her to see her precious disciple lose her life, but she had no idea. Finally understanding how sinful it was that she had caused her disciple to distort her values and put her life on the line because of her.

「I thought that that girl, and you, were doing what I told you to do, and that you were doing it because I told you to put your life on the line. But that wasn’t all. I may have been the one who provided the impetus. If it weren’t for me, she might not have thought that way. But still, the fact that she is fighting for her life now is the result of her thinking and decision. I thought that she would never be able to separate herself from her master, but it was I who wasn’t able to separate myself from my apprentice… Vampire-chan, when you wake up, tell me. Tell me why you fight, the path you have chosen of your own volition.」

If Vampire, like Blade, are fighting based on their own beliefs, Dryad have no right to interfere with that.

But if she was blindly believing in the teachings of Dryad, she must quit. Dryad doesn’t believe that her belief in protecting the world, even at the cost of her own life, is wrong. However, that’s is only based on Dryad’s resolve, and if she wasn’t prepared, she will surely regret it when the time comes.

「…It seems that, you underestimated me.」

「Huh!??」

「Vampire-chan!? You’re awake!?」

Her confident, fearless voice was familiar to Dryad and Reflect.

Though broken and muffled, there was no hint of arrogance in the way she spoke.

When they looked at Vampire’s face, wondering if they were in for a surprise, their eyes met with eyes as beautiful as red jadeite.

「You, told, me… Be proud of yourself, be yourself, whenever and however… It doesn’t matter, if Master’s teachings are there, or not… I’m not running away…!」

They don’t know how long she had been awake, but that was after hearing Dryad’s confession and understanding it all. That is the pride of Vampire. It was an oath that she fought of her own volition and with her own determination.

「I know that, I know that already…! Just rest easy!」

「I–I’ll go call the fairies!」

Vampire’s stuttering and spinning words was so painful that Dryad strongly told her not to speak any more, and Reflect ran out of the room to call for the fairies.

「I’m glad, I’m really glad… You wake up and…」

「Master… please, don’t cry… I… have done my best…」

「Yes, you’re amazing, you did a great job. I am so proud of you.」

Dryad gently embraces the tearful Vampire, patting her on the head and continuing to praise her over and over again for being awesome and great.

Dryad was hugging Vampire and Reflect was calling for the fairy, so no one noticed what Vampire looked like now.

「…Ehehe.」

She was ticklish, yet beaming with joy, and looked so much like a cute little girl of her age that she bore no resemblance to her usual arrogant demeanor.