I connected to the spycam I had planted on Francesca. The feed revealed her room—spacious and luxurious, much like mine. However, unlike my dreary, impersonal space, her room was filled with personal belongings. Dolls, cosmetics, cheap bracelets, DVDs, and games were scattered about, creating a cozy, lived-in atmosphere.

  Not seeing Francesca in her room, I switched to the student council room. As expected, it was empty. Frustrated, I turned my attention to my AR phone and started typing a message, but I stopped myself.

  "Felicia, can you set up another phone number for me? It's for Black Lily."

  "No need," Felicia replied smoothly. "Guardian Command has already arranged a separate number and bank account for your MG-related activities. Let me integrate them into your augmented reality phone."

  "Thank you."

  "Just let me know when you want to use your Black Lily number or switch back to Yuri's."

  "Got it."

  I quickly composed a message to Francesca while imposing as Black Lily:

  Let us meet up. Yuri has told me about you.

  The reply came almost instantly. Francesca suggested meeting at a private restaurant. I tilted my head, puzzled, but it soon made sense—they likely didn't want to use one of their own establishments. The backlash from the employees' families who had been abandoned in NewSoil and NewLake was still fresh on their minds. Meeting elsewhere was safer.

  Opting for the magitrain over the seinjet, I set off. The train glided through the city's glass loops, its futuristic design striking against the urban backdrop. Despite the marvel of the technology, I disliked the crowded cars and the constant motion. The barren wastelands of the darklands felt more comforting to me. Worse yet, the train ride always left me nauseous. It felt like I had no control of its motion.

  The restaurant Francesca had mentioned was tucked away in a quiet corner of Eden, near the sea. Upon entering, I approached the front desk and mentioned Francesca's reservation. A polite waitress escorted me to the VIP room. Francesca's face lit up when she saw me, her smile beaming with warmth. Sitting with her were three other people.

  "Black Lily! Thank you for coming. I never thought Yuri would actually call you. I assumed everyone was siding with Shirayuki and laughing at our misfortune," Francesca said, her words grating on me. Every sentence she uttered seemed to irritate me, but I reminded myself that I was on a mission. I am not Yuri, but black Lily. They might assume I had some discourse with Shirayuki. I needed to determine if their intentions were malicious or not.

  "Greetings, Francesca. So, you're the representatives of Enra and NewStar, correct? May I ask why you need me? I thought politics were outside our jurisdiction," I said, forcing a smile.

  "Well, yes. But we're all part of humanity, aren't we? If Enra and NewStar fall, humanity would take a massive hit. Like Shirayuki, we have many subsidiaries. If the company were to split up, the hierarchy and management would descend into chaos."

  "Really? I don't think so. CEOs and management teams are replaced all the time. Even General Armstrong, who leads the UNH now, will only hold power for five years," I replied, glancing to my left. Francesca followed my gaze.

  "That's not what we want! We want to prevent our families from being exiled!" another exclaimed, raising her voice—not at me, but at Francesca. She had mentioned she was a Magical Girl, but I didn't expect her to act so recklessly in her untransformed state. What if Zenith found out? Then again, given her status, perhaps it didn't matter as much. She might be a high-ranking magical girl.

  "Is that so? In that case, how can I help you?" I asked, suppressing any malice or disdain I might have felt. MGs were not supposed to meddle in political affairs. There is a law regarding that. I didn't know how they would do it without harming their image and law. If replacing the CEOs and board directors could prevent such disasters in the future, I had no objections. Those CEOs could live in shelters, like Alice's family.

  "Thank you. We'd like you to join our team for Anathema hunting next week. If anyone asks, we'd appreciate it if you could state that Enra and NewStar did nothing wrong. If we can gain the support of Magical Girls and Guardians, convincing Zenith and the UNH will be much easier. Please register with Freya," Francesca said.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  After the meeting, I returned home and immediately vented to Felicia. "Felicia, how could she say that?!"

  "Every Magical Girl and Guardian is different. As long as they work together against Anathema, Zenith doesn't mind a bit of diversity," Felicia calmed me. However, I was still fuming.

  "But…" I whined. Eventually, I gave in. Felicia was right—everyone is different. If I were in their position, I'd probably defend Shirayuki too. I wondered why they aggravated me so much. Perhaps it was because I'm a hypocrite. I don't like it when others act that way, yet I find it acceptable when I do.

  I made my way to Guardian Command. At the reception desk, I updated my registration alone under Freya, the Magical Girl Francesca had mentioned. Guilt gnawed at me as I completed the process. It felt like I was betraying my friends—Shining Arrow, Blue Sapphire, and Red Flame. I questioned whether I should even involve myself in this matter.

  But the Zenith had issued the quest, and quests are essentially requests from the Zenith to Magical Girls and Guardians. Besides, I wanted to uncover the truth. Did Enra and NewStar truly deserve to be dismantled and their CEOs exiled? What would happen to the shareholders? Francesca's family was among them.

  The issue felt personal because I, too, am a conglomerate's daughter. What if the same fate awaited me? Were we really so different? Could I make a difference—and should I? Even if Enra and NewStar's assets were absorbed by the government, would that truly improve anything? Wouldn't it just be a matter of swapping faces? Mere window dressing? There was no guarantee that government-appointed managers would be better.

  The next day at school felt even worse, despite the kinder treatment from my classmates. Francesca waved at me enthusiastically, and I waved back. She seemed thrilled that her request had been granted.

  "Thank you, Yuri! Here's a gift for you! I knew I could count on you!" she said, beaming.

  "No need. It's all Black Lily's," I replied flatly. Even though Black Lily is me, I treat her as though we are two separate people.

  "Let's have dinner sometime in secret! I'll contact Black Lily as well!" Francesca said with a smile, adding a playful wink. "I'll even show you my Magical Girl form."

  I returned a wry smile. I wasn't particularly interested in seeing her Magical Girl form. I already had a guess about it based on her asking me to register under another MG in Guardian Command. Magical Girl Freya. A quick search on the internet through Felicia revealed that Freya was an A-rank Guardian. She had been a Magical Girl for nearly five years. Her attire was pink with hints of green—a classic Pink MG. She'd been recruited by Enra since her debut as an F-rank. However, no further information was available.

  As I browsed her history on my way to my seinjet, Felicia notified me of an incoming call from Kageyama.

  "Yuri! What's the meaning of this!?" Kageyama's voice rang out, sharp and accusatory. "Black Lily was seen dining with Enra and NewStar executives!"

  I recoiled in fear, feeling the weight of his words. Accusing eyes seemed to bore into me, even through the phone. My chest tightened as I instinctively tried to shift into Black Lily. But something blocked my power. Panicking, I turned to Felicia.

  "Yuri? What's wrong?" Felicia asked. "My sensors aren't picking up any Anathema or hostile entities. It's not recommended for a Magical Girl to transform in the open—it could break the illusion magic if pedestrians saw you."

  "N-nothing… Yeah, you are right. I can't swap here. Let me go to the seinjet first. Kageyama wanted to talk to Lily," I stammered, taking a deep breath before retreating into the privacy of my seinjet.

  Once inside, I transformed into Black Lily. The moment the transformation took hold, it was like the chains around my heart loosened. As Black Lily, I felt powerful—confident. Black Lily is a Magical Girl, a Guardian of humanity. She is strong, unyielding. Yuri, on the other hand, is weak. That's why it feels natural to rely on Lily when Yuri is in trouble.

  "Kageyama? Yes, it is true that I dined with Francesca, the daughter of one of Enra's CEOs," I replied as I activated the video call. Kageyama's face appeared on the screen, his expression stern and lined with worry. His confusion and anger were palpable through his furrowed brow and taut lips. My voice, however, was steady, no longer trembling in the face of confrontation. Meanwhile, my butler directed the Seinjet back to my condominium.

  "Does this mean you're planning to leave Shirayuki for Enra? Why? Did we offend you in some way? What about your PMC?" Kageyama asked. His voice softened slightly as he waited for my answer. It struck me how effective Lily was—just one firm response seemed to pacify even Kageyama. He didn't yell or accuse me of betrayal.

  "No. I have no intention of leaving Shirayuki. I don't plan to join Enra or Newstar either," I assured him. The main reason for my involvement with them, after all, was the classified quest. It was a shame that I couldn't tell him. The quest demanded I tell nobody.

  "I see. Then, why are you getting friendly with Newstar and Enra?" he asked, his tone still measured but laced with curiosity.

  "Would it be a problem if I did?" I countered.

  "Well, under normal circumstances, no. If this were before the Frontier Project's collapse, there would be no issue. However, they've been accused of abandoning thousands to their deaths and are blamed for the loss of over 200 Guardians during the attack," he explained.

  "Hm… even if the CEOs were responsible, Francesca or the other shareholders' children shouldn't be held liable for their parent's actions, right?" I pointed out.

  "Legally, that's correct," Kageyama conceded. "But public perception is another matter. The masses may view you negatively for associating with them. And Shirayuki, being in a somewhat similar position due to New Mesa, should steer clear of them to avoid getting caught in any collateral backlash."

  "I understand. However, there is something I must do," I muttered. As Kageyama stroked his chin in contemplation, I found myself lost in thought as well. The quest I'd been given by the Zenith was classified, and I couldn't reveal my true reasons for getting involved.

  "As long as you promise me that you, your PMC, and Shining Arrow will remain loyal to Shirayuki, I won't interfere," he said after a moment.

  "I thought you'd be pleased to see them fall," I replied.

  "They're not enemies, merely business rivals," he clarified. "In the end, we're all fighting for humanity's survival. But my priority is Shirayuki. I need to ensure we don't get entangled in their mess. I hope you understand. On that note, why are you so eager to help them? This is a dangerous move. Even Magical Girls may not be exempt from the fallout. Too many people and Guardians died in this tragedy. I hope you know what you're doing, Black Lily."

  "Yes, I'm aware," I said calmly. "Thank you, Mr. Kageyama. For this week's expedition, I'll be registered under Freya."

  "Will you take your entire PMC, or will it just be you?"

  "Are you okay with that?" I asked, surprised by his leniency.

  "Yes. As long as you succeed, it doesn't matter under whose name the credit falls," he replied.

  "Thank you," I said softly, though guilt gnawed at me. Kageyama has been kind and supportive since I became a Magical Girl. I wondered how I could ever repay him.

  "Stay safe and return with plenty of essence, all right?" he said.

  "Yes. Thank you, Uncle," I replied, calling him "Uncle" for the first time. After ending the call, I whispered an apology to him.

  As the day wore on, my mind kept wandering, weighed down by guilt and uncertainty.