There is a concept called personal space.
The metaphor is a bit crude, but how would you feel if there were plenty of empty spots elsewhere, yet some middle-aged man you didn't know insisted on urinating right next to you?
This is how humans feel anxiety when unfamiliar others approach them. Because they haven't yet built up that level of trust.
And as it so happened, there was a girl right in front of me who had perfectly invaded my personal space.
"Um, I'm sorry about how sudden I was yesterday. I just wanted to get my feelings across no matter what..."
I watched her with a troubled feeling as she hung her head, face flushed red.
The first time I met the girl called Ruby the Magical Girl—no, Rabi—was merely two weeks ago.
The very fact that such a girl had confessed to me shouldn't exist.
The fact that she'd targeted me, of all people, someone in a hostile relationship with her, was highly suspicious, and right now I had no choice but to doubt her true motives.
"Fine, I got it. I'll bring you some coffee, so could you sit tight for a bit?"
"Ah, thank you..."
For now, I put off the topic of the confession. Rushing straight to the main point wouldn't do any good.
Buying time while calming the other party down. It was a conversational technique I'd learned in my previous world.
'Next...'
Since I didn't know what she might do next, I needed to prepare a minimal countermeasure.
I moved beyond the counter and approached Amber, who had been holding her breath and observing the situation all this time.
Seeing her studying my expression with a face that didn't know what to do made me feel a little sorry.
Click—!
I pretended to boil water as I picked up a notepad that had been nearby. If I raised my voice here, Rabi would hear it.
[ If Ruby tries to jump me, run out the back door immediately and tell the Boss. Even better if you capture it in photos. ]
This should be enough for the content. Nothing's missing.
At a glance, this cafe looks ordinary, but it's actually one of the Silver Corps' branches. Amber received it around the time she was promoted to executive, but since she's a student at the Academy, I ended up taking charge of the shop in her stead.
Therefore, it was only natural that if an emergency call went out, someone from the organization would arrive in no time.
"......."
When I showed her the memo that was practically an order, she made a slightly disgruntled expression but nodded for the time being.
I'd told Amber it was for a consultation, but the real reason I'd called her over was this: to take photos of Rabi and inform the Boss while I bought time.
Then, now let's fish out Rabi's true intentions while giving her an answer to her confession.
I returned to where she was and served her a cup of cappuccino. The coffee that Rabi often drank at this shop.
"Hoo, hoo..."
Rabi immediately began cooling the hot coffee, and soon lifted the cup to her lips to savor the taste.
I'd confirmed that her tension had eased, so it was time to start talking in earnest.
"Can you tell me? Why you confessed to me."
"I fell in love at first sight... Is that not enough?"
"Of course not."
Let me make this clear: there isn't a single thing about me for her to fall for. My face is average, and my wallet is empty to boot.
We haven't known each other long enough for a "but you hit on me first" kind of situation to arise, either.
"I know well enough that you've steeled your resolve. You even transformed into a magical girl to show me."
How could one not call it resolve when she continued her confession even while revealing personal secrets she could have kept hidden?
But the most important thing is, above all, mutual feelings. Unilaterally pushing one's emotions isn't love.
"However, I still don't know anything about you. Even if you reveal your identity like you did yesterday, I can't suddenly understand a girl named Rabi."
"......."
If she had actually confessed to me step by step, I might have accepted it, but things were different now, at least.
"Besides, I'm not in any position to take responsibility for you, and I'd rather not get found out by the Magical Girl Management Bureau and get marked. Can you really convince someone like me?"
"Th-that... I won't let anyone find out, so..."
"So you're saying we should have a secret relationship?"
That's exactly what I refuse to do. It would be an act of betrayal against those who have supported her until now.
If it came to that, it'd be better to just bite the bullet and go public.
"You're not an ordinary student right now. You need to be aware that you are humanity's hope and the strongest magical girl."
It might sound like I'm lecturing you at a glance, but this is my true feelings.
Kids these days hate this kind of scolding, so I won't deny I was also calculating to lower my image in her eyes by saying it this way.
"It makes me happy that a cute kid like you likes a guy like me, but I really can't accept this confession."
It was a long reply to the point where I'd forgotten to even catch my breath midway.
But with this, I'd spilled everything I'd thought about all night. It was probably enough as an answer to her confession.
The problem, if there was one, was that even now, Rabi was looking at me with a face that said she wasn't entirely satisfied.
"B-but I...!"
Ziiing—
The moment she worked up the courage to say something, a peculiar alert rang from the brooch attached to Rabi's clothes, with suspiciously convenient timing.
"...It seems a monster has appeared nearby. Um, can we continue this conversation next time?"
"Sure. It's late today, so any time after tomorrow is fine."
The sound of her running up the stairs was heard the moment she left the shop. She was probably heading out to quickly subjugate the monster.
At the same time, Amber, who had been hiding for nearly ten minutes, poked her head out.
"...Is she gone?"
"Seems like it."
That monster just now was probably something she whipped up on the spot. Considering the timing, it's only natural.
"Ahh, my legs hurt... I stayed in a weird posture for twenty minutes."
As expected of a current student. She'd softened what could have become a heavy atmosphere.
It was thanks to these qualities that she'd earned the trust of other executives and the Boss.
"More importantly, this is huge! Magical Girl Ruby actually confessed to you, senior!"
"...Why do you sound a bit angry?"
Needless to say, I'm the one who feels most wronged right now. At least I wasn't tied up with ropes today, so it was better than yesterday, I suppose.
"So? Are you going to tell the Boss about this?"
"I'll think about it. We still don't know what she's after."
"Hmm, hmm. You've got a point."
If it's some kind of trap she's laid, the Silver Corps' existence could be in danger. Our top priority here is to gather as much information as possible.
"Still, you gave her a proper answer to her confession, didn't you? That was pretty cool."
"Before I'm a member of the Silver Corps, I'm an adult. Since I received a confession, I thought I should take at least this much responsibility."
"Wow, you're putting on quite the act."
"......."
I'll honestly admit it.
"Well. She'll probably lose interest and give up soon enough. There's no way an ordinary girl would fall for someone like me."
There are plenty of men in this world more handsome and capable than me. If she's the famous Magical Girl Ruby, men like that would be lining up for her.
I'm just waiting for that moment. The moment when Rabi falls for some reasonably outstanding man.
"...There's someone who fell for the guy right next to her; who would say such a thing?"
It seemed Amber muttered something under her breath, but I couldn't hear it properly because her voice was too low.
***
"Hah..."
Ruby, having dealt with the monster and returned home, threw herself onto her bed and recalled Jade's face. The way he had calmly turned her down without panicking even though she'd confessed so suddenly.
He was the only one who treated her as Lavi, an ordinary girl, rather than as Ruby.
As long as she had to keep wearing the mask of a magical girl, the name Lavi couldn't show itself on the outside.
"He was wary of me. How cute."
That was enough. If he would be wary of her and keep his distance sufficiently.
Jade rejecting her was rather part of the plan; it was evidence that things were flowing smoothly.
Of course, she couldn't say the current situation was favorable, even as empty words. Yesterday she'd made the absurd mistake of being unable to contain her excitement and tying him up with rope.
But humans hardly doubt something they've once believed.
What would happen if Jade, who currently saw her as a thorn in his side, were made to trust her?
The previous wariness would instantly transform into a different form, creating an even greater emotion.
Dependence, attachment, infatuation, longing...
When all such emotions combined, something of a murky hue would be formed.
"Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade..."
Rabi repeated his name over and over with eyes filled with madness.
If only she and Jade were the only ones in this world, like Adam and Eve—how happy would that be?
The Silver Corps, monsters, magical girls, magic power.
To Ruby, these countless elements felt like nothing more than obstacles driving the two of them apart.
She wanted to throw it all away and lock him in a cage of her own, but such an act wouldn't be for Jade's sake. The man in her memories was one who enjoyed trivial happiness.
"...I won't let you die this time."
The time had come to advance the plan to the next stage.
Because an ordinary form of love could not save Jade.