Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku - Volume 1 - Chapter 2.1

CHAT #2

Fav: Now it’s time for this week’s chat~

Fav: but it seems we’re missing a few people today, pon

Fav: I hope they don’t think they can just check the logs later, pon

Fav: No one here seems to be talking much either

Fav: so let’s try to make this a little more bright and fun, pon

Fav: That’s what magical girls are all about, pon  

Fav: Now, back on topic

Fav: Let’s talk about something happier, pon

Fav: A new girl will be joining us this week~ Clappy clap~

Fav: Um… She doesn’t appear to be here

Fav: She’s probably just shy, pon

Fav: Still, please try to attend next week, okay?

Fav: Promise Fav, pon  

Fav: Next, what you’re all most interested in…

Fav: Time to announce who has the least candy this week, pon

Fav: This week, it was…

Fav: Ruler

Fav: Hmm, too bad, pon

Fav: It looks like you tried really hard, but you just barely lost, pon

Fav: Hey, hey. Say all you like, Fav is in a pickle, too, pon

Fav: Oh, and this week’s top earner was Snow White, pon

Fav: Congrats on two weeks straight~!

Fav: Everyone, gather lots of candy and aim for the top, pon

Fav: Well, see you all here next week, pon

Fav: Bye-bye~!

The chat ended—only Tama, Swim Swim, the Peaky Angels, Ruler, Cranberry, and Fav had been in attendance. Everyone was probably on high alert and considered the others their enemies.

“Man, that worked perfectly!” “So magi-cool, huh?”

The fading light illuminated the run-down temple grounds of Ouketsuji in Nishizenmon. The Peaky Angels weren’t even attempting to hide their glee as they high-fived, clapped, and hugged. They paid Tama and Swim Swim no mind—the former’s expression was mournful, while the latter displayed no emotion. This elicited more from the angels.

“The nasty girl is gone!” “Ms. I’m-better-than-you!” “Ms. I-won’t-share-the-candy!” “Ms. You’re-nothing-but-idiots-and-morons!” “Seriously, what a nasty girl.”

To the Peaky Angels, Ruler had been nothing but terrible. She was haughty, greedy, and whenever she opened her mouth it was to insult or belittle. Had she known how Minael and Yunael had talked behind her back?

In Tama’s eyes, Ruler had been a scary person. Her reasons were the same as the twin angels’.

But Swim Swim had known—to the three of them, on some level or another, Ruler was a hindrance. So much so that they would easily agree to getting rid of her.

“So, what do we do with this?” “Take it out into the mountains and bury it?” “It should be easy with your magic, Tama.” “You can whip up a hole in no time.”

Minael, Yunael, and Swim Swim were discussing the body of a perfectly ordinary young woman in her late twenties. She had on a cardigan over her pajamas and sandals on her feet.

“Do we really have to go to all that trouble, though?” “Oh, good point.” “Let’s just dump her somewhere in the middle of the night. Someone will find her in the morning.” “Yeah, let’s do that.”

Ruler had screamed “Why?! How?!” until her very last breath. Even lying on the ground as a normal human, her hands were outstretched as if she were trying desperately to grab on to something.

Swim Swim stood up and went over to Tama, who was hugging her knees, covering her ears, and shivering. Bending down to her eye level, she soothed her with a pat on the head. Tears welled in Tama’s eyes. Swim Swim relaxed her face, lifted the corner of her mouth slightly, and said simply, “It’s okay.” She patted the other girl on the head again. “I’ll take care of the body,” she declared, picking it up and slinging it over her shoulder.

“You don’t have to do that, Swim.” “Yeah, yeah. You’re our new leader.”

“We’re disbanding. You’re all free to do as you please.”

Behind her the Peaky Angels still tried to argue, but Swim Swim ignored them and pushed open the temple doors. As always, they creaked loudly. She remembered how, when Ruler was alive, she had told them to oil it.

Swim Swim ducked into a Nishimonzen alley. No moon was out. Compared to other areas, Nishimonzen had barely any streetlamps, some residents complained. But the local government never responded to the complaints, so the alley was dark. She couldn’t sense anyone following her. Ruler had always said, “You’re all free to do as you please” when she got fed up with them, but the angels and Tama seemed to be obeying.

She had idolized Ruler. When she’d suddenly become a magical girl and had no idea what to do, it was Ruler who had come and taught her. She’d reminded her of the princesses in her dreams, and Swim Swim loyally carried out her teachings.

“Your leader must be the object of your affection. The organization is most effective when everyone tries to imitate her.”

And so Swim Swim obeyed. Her mentor was a princess, and princesses were always right. She was strong, clever, lovely, and overflowing with leadership. Swim Swim tried to be like her, but Ruler herself was the biggest thing in the way of that goal. Two rulers meant that neither was truly in charge, because a ruler stood above all. Swim Swim adored and revered Ruler, but in order for her to take the final step, her leader had to die. The night she realized this, Swim Swim threw up everything she’d eaten that day and broke into a fever. She’d skipped two days of school. But it had to be done. Swim Swim wanted to be like Ruler more than anything.

But Ruler’s magic was powerful. Swim Swim would have to work hard to take her out. She knew the Peaky Angels and Tama were unhappy with Ruler, but even with their help, she would still have to deal with the leader’s orders. She decided to wait for the right opportunity.

It wasn’t long before that chance presented itself: the plot to steal Snow White’s magical candy. Of Snow White’s nearly 50,000 pieces of candy, she took 37,000, grabbed the dazed Tama underneath the steel tower and forced 35,000 onto her, and reported to Ruler that there had only been 2,000 pieces. The 35,000 pieces she’d given to Tama she split evenly between all the magical girls except for Ruler, Snow White, and La Pucelle. Some were suspicious, some were on guard, some were openly hostile, and some fired before asking questions. Nobody welcomed them, even though they were there to share their candy, but nobody turned it down.

She’d used Fav to contact the others. His connection with everyone allowed him to contact any magical girl, even if they tried to hide where they were. Fav was short-spoken and tended to not explain well, but he tried to help as much as he could when they asked. Swim Swim had learned this from Ruler, too.

Divided among eleven people, the 35,000 pieces gave them 3,180 each. She’d left Snow White with more than 10,000 pieces, meaning if she split evenly with La Pucelle, they’d each have 5,000. And so Ruler, convinced that her 1,044 pieces meant she couldn’t possibly get the ax, ended up with the lowest amount of candy.

The Peaky Angels had enthusiastically agreed to the plan, and Tama, though clearly a little guilty, also agreed. They accepted Swim Swim as their leader.

She had succeeded in taking out Ruler without giving her a chance to use her magic or even realize she’d been betrayed.

She laid the body at the end of the main street. It was light to carry, even for someone without magical strength, and long gone cold.

“Good-bye, and thank you for everything.”

Swim Swim bowed deeply, turned her back on Ruler’s corpse, and disappeared into the darkness of the alley. Ruler was gone, but she’d left behind her many teachings. No matter what the future held, she’d stay true to them. Wiping a tear with her fingertip, Swim Swim ran off into the gloom.