"If you let him go and he leaks what happened… it’ll be a real mess."

From the direction the disheveled man had vanished, a figure emerged from the shadows—knife in hand, clad in a proper Magical Girl costume.

"Kihara Reina~" A thoughtful voice drifted from beneath the hood. She lifted it, revealing pitch-black eyes. "Because I keep my word, that’s all."

"You knew I wouldn’t let him go. You twisted person."

"Hehe."

The Witch merely giggled at the Magical Girl’s sarcasm.

The blade-wielding girl didn’t step closer. She eyed the Witch warily, then said coldly, "Use my intel well. Don’t disappoint me."

Then—countless Demons rose before her.

---

On the dimly lit hotel penthouse floor, Yukieda’s chest heaved. Her eyes were glazed, breath hot and ragged.

"No, not there!"

"Watch this move!"

"No…!" Yukieda cried. "If this keeps up—" She squirmed anxiously.

On screen, a scantily clad fighter collapsed. A giant "KO" flashed.

"I… lost."

Yukieda sat cross-legged, hands covering her flushed face. In esports? No match for Master Dai.

"Is *this* all? You really expect me to lift the curse? Pathetic. Zero challenge." Master Dai mocked without mercy. Bored of stomping a newbie, she reached for another disc.

"I’m sorry! I’ll practice hard!" Yukieda whimpered.

"What next? Racing?" Master Dai knelt, sorting through game discs.

Yes—they were deep in a gaming session.

Yukieda braced herself on the floor, eyes locked on Master Dai’s swaying hips.

*Never thought Master Dai loved games this much. She and Mari would get along…*

Her cheeks warmed. Thankfully, the room was dark.

"Perfect! This one!" Master Dai held up a cartoon racer.

*This time, I’ll win her over!* Yukieda vowed.

Simple controls: arrows plus two buttons. *Even a total noob like me can—*

"Wait! Yukieda! Stop swaying while playing!"

"But—I can’t help it!" Tears welled. Gripping the controller, her body swayed with the screen.

Her car careened like a bumper car.

Teammate voices crackled: "Damn, you’re a girl?" Insults turned to flustered praise. The chatter wouldn’t stop.

Master Dai’s patience snapped. "Shut. Up."

Silence.

She sighed. "…Fine. Talk."

On screen, the teammate logged out instantly. Yukieda stared, wide-eyed.

*Is this… Master Dai’s power?*

---

Yukieda tiptoed back to the room.

"How’d it go?"

Mai’s voice. Moonlight glinted in his eyes—he’d been waiting, unrested.

Yukieda’s heart softened. She slipped under the covers, whispering face-to-face.

"Master Dai gave me a chance… I failed." Bitterness tinged her voice. Gaming wasn’t her strength. *Need training.*

Mai watched her: eyelashes long, neck slender in the dim light. She chattered about life with Shizuku after confessing.

"Can I… tell Shizuku about you too?" Yukieda asked, shy yet hopeful.

Mai cut in gently. "Yukieda. Have you thought about *your* future?"

"Future? Like… holding grandkids? Them calling me ‘Grandpa’?"

Mai winced. *A white-haired girl barely taller than him… the class would ostracize that kid.*

"Let’s skip that. That’s Shizuku’s path. You can’t follow her forever. She deserves freedom."

Yukieda fell silent, blinking up at him.

"I haven’t planned… graduate, retire as a Magical Girl… maybe work, or stay home—the pension’s good. Help Shizuku with grandkids?"

Mai covered his face. *Again with grandkids.*

"What if… you had your own child?"

Yukieda’s eyes flickered. She bit her lip. "I see you as a friend. If you… really need help…"

Mai held her gaze.

Just as Yukieda tensed—

"Shizuku might be infertile."

*…I said "might."*

"What?!" Her mind froze, then raced. "Why?!"

"After you became a Magical Girl, the higher-ups investigated relatives." Mai flashed a terminal—blurry hospital documents. "We’re certain."

Yukieda believed him. Not the docs. *Him.*

"Impossible…" Her voice trembled.

Mai stayed silent. *I didn’t confirm. Didn’t deny.* His gaze dropped.

*Deceiving her… feels like betraying a wife waiting with dinner.*

Yukieda went quiet. Earlier so lively—now mute.

Mai opened his mouth to confess the lie—

She sighed. "Then… adopt? Medicine’s advanced. Maybe hope later."

Mai’s eyelid twitched.

"What if Shizuku asked you to have a child with her husband?"

"Th-this is wrong!" Yukieda stammered, pupils wide.

Mai’s eyes sharpened. "So you’d agree?"

"I didn’t say that!"

"But you didn’t refuse."

"Th-that’s because—" She tried to sit up, protest—

Mai covered her mouth.

---

Shizuku turned over, throat dry. *Water…*

She glanced at Yukieda and Mai, faces close, whispering.

*Did I hear them…? A dream?*

*Hehe… Yukieda’s sleeping face is so cute.*

When Shizuku’s breathing steadied again, Mai and Yukieda exhaled.

Mai pulled his fingers back—rough from urgency. Glistening with her saliva.

Yukieda shot him a glare and turned away.

Mai stared at his fingers. Meant to wipe them…

On a whim, he licked.