Magical Girl Noa

 

“I’m bored…… I’m bored…… uuu, I’m so bored~……”

On the way back from Ousei Academy.

A girl sighed with a troubled expression.

Her glossy hair reached down to her waist, and her eyes were clear.

Her delicate and beautiful appearance, along with her dignified posture, made anyone who saw her captivated.

She was the epitome of a “Yamato Nadeshiko,” and her name was Houjou Kaori.

[T/N: The term “Yamato Nadeshiko” means “personification of an idealized Japanese woman.” – From Wikipedia]

Graceful in appearance and excellent in academics. Not just that, she’s the daughter of the principal of Ousei Academy, one of the world’s most elite schools, and serves as a student council officer.

As befitting a young lady from a good family, she possessed both elegance and kindness. Her perfection led some students to nickname her “Princess,” and she was admired by many—a true embodiment of beauty and talent.

However, despite her radiant aura, her expression was clouded with worry.

“Sigh…… I just don’t feel motivated lately. Yuuya-san seems to be busy, and I haven’t been able to see him much……”

Kaori had someone she cared for—Tenjou Yuuya—but his existence was so extraordinary that outrageous events constantly swirled around him.

Having grown accustomed to such an eccentric daily life, Kaori now felt a sense of dullness in the days without Yuuya.

“Ugh, I’m bored…… I wish something exciting would happen. Like a mysterious fairy appearing, or me gaining some incredible power to save the world—…… what am I even thinking?”

Embarrassed by her unrealistic daydreaming, she shook her head vigorously.

“It’s all Yuuya-san’s fault. Lately, I’ve been having all these dream-like fantasies. I should hurry home and review today’s English lesson—kyaa!”

She tripped over something and stumbled in panic.

“Ah, that was close. What did I trip over?”

Thinking it might be a tree branch, Kaori turned to move it aside for safety—but what met her eyes was the lower half of a girl’s body sticking out from under a vending machine.

“Ah! S-someone’s dead────!?”

A faint voice reached Kaori’s ears as she involuntarily screamed.

 

“Ugh…… it hurts……”

 

The faint voice came from the girl trapped under the vending machine.

“Ah, y-you’re alive! Are you okay? I’ll help you right now!”

Grabbing the girl’s limp legs, Kaori pulled with all her might.

“Eeei!”

“Ow ow ow ow ow ow!? That hurts~!”

“A-ah, I’m so sorry……! Something seems to be stuck, and it won’t budge at all……!”

“It’s probably because my chest has gotten bigger recently~!”

“Y-your chest……”

Kaori instinctively looked down at her own modest chest.

“Owa~! Ants are crawling all over me, please get me out quickly~!!”

“Ah, I’m sorry!”

Regaining her composure, Kaori tried pushing and pulling but to no avail.

“uun, uun, it’s no use, I can’t get her out! How did this even happen…!?”

“Waaaaah, I absolutely don’t want to die here! I haven’t become rich yet, eaten my fill of delicious food, or slept on a fluffy bed! I can’t die before achieving my dreams of bathing in money, laughing while holding a fan made of cash, hiring my mean seniors as maids and bossing them around, and keeping my annoying boss in a tank with piranhas while sipping wine~!”

“W-what kind of outrageous dreams are those!? Please, stop thrashing around~!”

The girl’s legs flailed wildly.

In the commotion, a small object fell out of Kaori’s pocket.

The sound of something metallic clinking echoed through the air.

“Th-that metallic sound…… could it be the sound of money────!?”

The girl, who had been completely stuck, suddenly shot out from under the vending machine with incredible force.

“Kyaa!?”

“I heard a ‘cha-ching’ sound! Where, where, where…… here it is, this is it────!”

The girl picked up the object and held it high──

“S-Sorry, that’s a hairpin. I always carry it with me to tie my hair during gym class……”

“Huh……”

The girl’s shoulders slumped as she looked at the hairpin in her hand.

“What a letdown…… Wait, huh? I’m out?”

“Yes, you made it out safely. Isn’t that great?”

Kaori smiled gently at the girl, who blinked in a daze with wide eyes.

The girl quickly teared up and hugged Kaori.

“Wahhhhhh, thank you so much! I was at my wit’s end completely alone, and I thought I was done for! If you hadn’t helped me, I would’ve been torn apart by wild dogs, pecked at by crows, and had my bones gnawed on by cats!”

“Ah, I’m not sure how much help I was…… but I’m glad you’re safe. Please, come this way.”

Kaori sat the crying girl down on a bench beneath the shade of a tree.

She gently wiped the girl’s tear-and-mud-stained face with a handkerchief.

“That must’ve been tough. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Uuu, you’re so kind……! I’m fine, but I’ll never forget this kindness for the rest of my life!”

The girl, sniffling with tears of gratitude, had a noticeably non-Japanese appearance.

Her pale blonde hair was tied into twin tails, and her eyes were a vivid blue.

Her small face, retaining a childlike innocence, was as doll-like as it was well-proportioned.

Her dress was simple, and though it looked a bit worn upon closer inspection, her delicate features negated her lack of elegance.

(“Is she from another country? But her Japanese is really good…”)

Kaori wondered inwardly as she asked the girl:

“By the way, what were you doing in a place like that?”

“I was looking for some change!”

“Ch-Change?”

“Yes! I’m in a situation where I really need money…… I saw something shiny down there, so I went in excitedly, but even with this, I couldn’t reach it……!”

The girl held up a staff as she spoke with frustration.

The staff was adorned with gem-like decorations, exuding a mysterious aura that even Kaori, who was accustomed to seeing many luxurious items, could recognize at a glance.

“Oh, what a beautiful staff! Though it got a bit dirty from scraping under the vending machine……”

“Uuu, if this staff were just a little longer, I could’ve reached it……! I’m so frustrated……!”

“Um…… even if there was money there, it’s not okay to take something you found and keep it for yourself.”

“Eh!? Really!?”

The girl looked utterly shocked.

“But still, to go that far for money…… what kind of situation are you in?”

“……Well—”

Just as the girl was about to explain, clutching her staff tightly—

“Ah, I found her!”

“Eeeeeee!?”

At the sound of an angry voice, they turned to see a burly man in an apron glaring at the girl.

He was so angry that veins were bulging on his bald head.

The girl immediately prostrated herself at lightning speed, trembling as she held out a few coins.

“S-Sorry, sorry! This is all I have right now……!”

“You can’t use this kind of money! That’s it, I’m taking you to the police!”

“Pyaaaaa!? Please, spare me~!”

Unable to leave the trembling girl alone, Kaori hurriedly spoke up.

“W-Wait a minute, what exactly happened?”

“She ate a bunch of crepes without paying! She said she didn’t have any money!”

Looking over, there was a crepe stand a short distance away in the square.

It was a popular crepe stand among students of Ohoshi Academy, with students who seemed to have just finished club activities—carrying shoes, tennis rackets, and such—waiting in line.

The man appeared to be the owner of the crepe stand.

The girl hung her head in front of the furious owner.

“Uuu, I haven’t eaten anything but bean sprouts for days……”

“Eh!?”

“Ah, but it’s okay! There are all kinds of weeds growing around here, and I can drink water, too! This town is amazing—you can drink clean water for free from the park taps!”

“S-Such a harsh life……!?”

The girl nodded, her shoulders slumping.

“Today, I was looking for some nice weeds around here, but those ‘creeps’ looked so delicious…… I forgot I didn’t have any money in this world and ended up eating a lot of them……”

In the teary-eyed girl’s hand was a coin that Kaori had never seen before.

“I-It’s definitely an unfamiliar coin. Are you perhaps not from Japan……?”

The owner grabbed the frightened girl without mercy.

“Seriously, I don’t care where you’re from, but this is a problem. Let’s go to the police.”

“Pyaaaaa!? Please, spare me! If my seniors find out I caused more trouble, I’ll really get fired this time~! In the literal sense!”

“In the literal sense!?”

Kaori was stunned, but the owner wouldn’t listen.

“None of your lies will work! Come on!”

“Pigyaaaaa!”

Kaori hurriedly raised her voice.

“W-Wait a minute! Um, well, isn’t there something—”

Kaori frantically searched her bag under the owner’s displeased gaze—

“Ah, I have this!”

Kaori placed something into the owner’s hand with a thud.

“Huh? T-This is—”

“Yes, it’s a stack of bills! Will this cover it?”

“「A stack of bills───────────!?」”

Both the girl and the crepe stand owner’s eyes widened at the sudden appearance of a thick stack of bills.

“Wh-Whaaaaaat!? A-A b-b-bundle of bills!? This is real money, right!? I’ve never seen it before!”

“N-No, no, no! I don’t need that much! Ten thousand yen is more than enough—I’ll give you change!”

“Ah, r-really? Sorry, I panicked and just……”

“You ‘panicked’ and pulled out that much money!?”

“A-Anyway, here’s your change! Thanks for your business!”

Completely flustered, the owner handed over the change and quickly left.

“Phew, it worked out.”

As Kaori sighed in relief, the girl spoke up.

“Th-Thank you so much! Um……”

“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Houjou Kaori.”

“Kaori-san! I’m Noa!”

“Noa-san, is it? But still, what kind of situation led to this—”

Before Kaori could finish, Noa—the girl—leaned forward energetically.

“Never mind that, Kaori-san!”

“Y-Yes!?”

“Do you always carry around bundles of bills like that!?”

“No, not really… but maybe the maid mistook it for my lunch box. They’re about the same size……”

“You can mistake a bundle of bills for a lunch box!? Wait, a maid!? Kaori-san, are you perhaps a super-rich young lady!?”

“Hmm, I wonder…… I don’t think I’m that rich……”

As Kaori tilted her head in thought, Noa rubbed her hands together and leaned closer.

“Um, can I ask something? What kind of house do you live in?”

“Eh?”

“How many rooms, how big is the yard……”

“Well, I’ve never counted exactly, but…… I think there are about 96 rooms?”

“96 rooms!?”

“Ah, that includes the maids’ rooms, of course. The yard isn’t that big either—just a fountain and a small forest. My father’s guests often come over to enjoy horseback riding.”

“Horseback riding in the yard’s forest!? Wh-What does your father do……!?”

“Right now, he’s the chairman of the academy, focusing on nurturing talent. He used to be involved in various businesses, but now he’s entrusted the management to trustworthy people.”

“Whoooaaaa~~~ After running multiple companies, he stepped back from the front lines to devote himself to nurturing young talent!? That’s the full-on big conglomerate move! This is the real deal—a genuine tycoon! Kaori-san, no, Lady Kaori!”

Noa’s eyes sparkled as she quickly knelt before Kaori.

“N-Noa-san!? What are you—”

“Please, take me in, Lady Kaori! I’ll do anything for it—I’ll even lick your shoes, look! lick lick lick lick~”

“Eeeeeek!? S-Stop it~!”

“Pleeeeease, let me be your slave~! I promise to devote my entire body and soul to you for life, Lady Kaori! I’d gladly let you walk all over me~! Look! lick lick lick lick~~~~~”

“Noa-san, calm down~! People are watching~!”

Kaori managed to stop Noa, who was trying to lick her shoes.

“Hah, sorry! I couldn’t help but get excited in front of a real billionaire! Wait, paying for the crepes earlier was an emergency, so that might’ve been just barely okay, but the whole ‘slave’ plan definitely crosses the line, tch. ……Wait, huh? If being a slave is a no-go, what about becoming a pet……? No, that’s against the rules too……!? Ugh, nothing’s going right! I already have so much to deal with~~~~! Uwaaaaah~~~~!”

Kaori gently patted Noa’s back as she wailed.

“It seems like you’re in a serious situation…… If there’s anything troubling you, would you tell me? I might be able to help a little.”

“Uuu, how can you be so kind, Kaori-san……!”

“Not at all. Please, sit down and tell me everything.”

Kaori guided Noa back to the bench, her thoughts drifting to Yuuya.

(“Yuuya always helps people… Is this how he feels?”)

Feeling a warm fuzzy sensation, she sat down on the bench—

Only to feel a soft, squishy bounce and hear a voice from beneath her.

“Ufufu, such a bewitching sensation~”

“Kyaa!?”

Kaori jumped up in shock.

Beneath where she sat was a creature that looked like a squid, now flattened.

“Kyaaaaa!? I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to sit on you……!”

Kaori hurriedly apologized, but the mysterious creature continued to murmur dreamily.

“Ufufufu, such exquisite softness and elasticity~. I prefer a bit more meat, but I can feel incredible potential here. I’ll give it an 85 out of 100! ……Wait, huh?”

“Uh, um……?”

The squid-like creature turned its goofy face toward Kaori, drooling slightly.

“Oh no, why did you get up~? You should’ve stayed seated~. Come on, don’t mind me, let me keep enjoying this bewitching sensation~”

“Hey────! What are you doing, you perverted squid────! (Slap──!)”

“Bweeeeh!?”

Noa smacked the wriggling tentacled creature without mercy.

“Sorry, Kaori-san, Sumimaru’s a bit of a pervert……!”

“A-Ah, no, I didn’t notice……! Wait, this squid is talking……!?”

“That’s right~!”

The squid leaped up energetically and began floating in front of Kaori.

“I-It’s floating……!?”

“My name’s Sumimaru! Don’t lump me in with ordinary squids~! Look, I can even do this~!”

Sumimaru performed a graceful midair flip.

“Th-That’s amazing!”

“Ufufufu, you can touch me all you want~ Feel free to stroke me anywhere, I recommend the fin part~ Look, look~ Don’t hold back~ ……Bweh.”

Noa pushed Sumimaru away as he tried to nuzzle up to Kaori.

“More importantly, Sumimaru, where were you while I was drying up under the vending machine?”

“Obviously, I was looking for a pretty girl to help us! I definitely wasn’t trying to peek under girls’ skirts as they walked by!”

“Nuwaa~~~ Seriously, stop it! If Sumimaru causes trouble, I’ll get punished too, you know!?”

“That’s my line! You’re the one who’s already causing trouble by eating and running in this world! Your parents would be crying in their graves!”

“My parents are alive, though!? And the reason I’m broke is because Sumimaru forgot to handle the paperwork, so I didn’t get any money in this world! Apologize, you jerk!”

Kaori watched the lively argument in bewilderment, muttering to herself.

“I’ve never seen such a strange squid before…… and Noa-san doesn’t seem to be from this country either. And with that mysterious staff, what’s going on……?”

Hearing her mutter, Noa snapped back to attention.

After clearing her throat a few times, she formally introduced Kaori to Sumimaru.

“Sumimaru, this is Kaori-san. She’s a very kind person who helped me, a complete stranger.”

“What!? Noa was saved by you-maru~!”

“No no, I’m just glad Noa-san is safe.”

Sumimaru melted at Kaori’s gentle smile.

“Ahhh~, such kindness, you’re like an angel-maru~! And you’re super cute too-maru! If someone like you could help us, it’d be amazing~”

As Sumimaru swooned, Noa whispered conspiratorially.

“That’s right! Plus, we’re in a tight spot financially. Kaori-san is a rich heiress, her help would be a game-changer! ……Though it has to be within the rules, of course. These rules are so annoying, gununu……!”

“What!? Kind, angelic, and a rich heiress? We can’t let such a gem slip away-maru~! Plus, she’s totally my type-maru~! And if my guess is correct—”

“Uh, um……? What are you two talking about?”

Kaori spoke up, confused by their secretive conversation.

Noa and Sumimaru exchanged a glance and nodded at each other.

“……Well, the truth is, we—!”

Just as Noa was about to explain.

“Kyaaaaaa!?”

A high-pitched scream echoed through the area.

“!?”

They instinctively turned around.

What came into view was a swarm of black octopuses floating in the air, attacking the people in the square.

“Gya-gya-gya-gya!”

“Aaaaah! What are these octopuses!?”

“Ahh, my crepe……!”

The small octopuses wreaked havoc—stealing crepes, trying to crawl under skirts—as the students dropped their tennis rackets and shoes to flee.

“Gya-gya-gya~~~~!”

“Wh-What are those black octopuses……!?”

Kaori stared in awe at the creatures she’d never seen before.

Noa and Sumimaru raised their voices in alarm.

“Ah, those are……!”

“Debipachi-maru~!”

“Eh!? What’s a Debipachi……!?”

“No time to explain, we have to defeat them—Ugh!?”

Noa, who had stood up energetically, suddenly doubled over with a pale face.

“Ugh…… huff, huff…… no way…… now of all times……!”

“Noa-san, what’s wrong!? You look pale……!”

Kaori worried, Noa groaned with a pained expression.

“Ugh…… I ate too many crepes…… my stomach hurts……!”

“Eeeeh!?”

“What was I thinking, going for the ‘10-minute Crepe Challenge☆Maximum Sugar Rush Edition☆’……!”

“Are you stupid?”

“I’ll be right back after using the restroom! Kaori-san, please hold onto this for me!”

“Is that the mysterious staff from earlier, the one you were trying to scrape money with!?”

“So anyways, I’ll leave the rest to you~!”

“Eh, eh, Noa-san!?

Noa entrusted the staff to Kaori and ran off in a hurry.

“I-I’ve been left with this, but what should I do……!?”

Left alone, Kaori nervously looked around, holding the sparkling staff.

The square was now empty as everyone had fled, leaving behind scattered tennis rackets and shoes.

The octopuses wandered around, searching for their next targets.

Sumimaru raised his voice.

“Honestly, Noa’s useless when it matters most-maru! Fine, we’ll have to do this ourselves~…… Kaori, I need you to fight the Debipachi in Noa’s place-maru!”

“Eeeh!? F-Fight them……!?”

“It’s okay-maru~! From what I can see, Kaori has incredible ‘Prism Power’ hidden within her-maru!”

“‘Prism Power’!?”

Ignoring Kaori’s confusion, Sumimaru pressed on.

“No time to explain-maru! Just raise the staff and chant, ‘Sparkling, Shining, in this Seven-Colored World! Perfect Pure Princess, Dress Up!’-maru!”

“Huh!? Um, um……!?”

“Gya-gya-gya~!”

While Kaori was flustered, the octopuses noticed her presence.

Their eyes glinted sharply.

“Gya-gya-gya~!”

“They’ve set their sights on us-maru! No time to hesitate-maru! Come on, be brave!”

“Awa-wa-wa…! What was it again, um, um……!?”

Urged on by Sumimaru, Kaori raised her staff with all her might.

She shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Something-something, d-dress-up, please!”

Then, a dazzling light overflowed.

“Wh-what is this……!?”

A rainbow glow gently enveloped her entire body.

Kaori instinctively closed her eyes against the light, overwhelming her vision──and the next moment, she had transformed into an unfamiliar costume.

A large pink ribbon adorned her chest, paired with heeled boots.

And a cute miniskirt adorned with plenty of frills.

“Hyah──hyaaaaaaaaaaaah!?”

She screamed, frantically holding down her skirt that seemed on the verge of revealing too much.

“Wh-what is this outfit!? It’s too embarrassing~……! Wait, did I even say the spell correctly!?”

While Kaori was panicking, Sumimaru winked.

“Well, the transformation succeeded, so it’s fine-maru! What matters is your feelings-maru!”

“Uh, I see!? But, seriously, what is this outfit────!?”

Seeing Kaori in her adorable costume, Sumimaru blushed dreamily.

“Ufufufu, so cute and pretty, you’re the best-maru! I knew my instincts were right-maru~! Now, let’s take down Debipachi-maru!”

“Awa-wa-wa, what’s even happening, someone please explain this to me~~~~!!”

“Gya-gya-gya!”

While Kaori was confused, several octopuses rushed toward her.

They latched onto Kaori immediately, wriggling their black tentacles and trying to slip into the gaps of her clothes.

“Gya-gya-gya~”

“Kyaah!? Hyah, st-stop it~~!”

“Ufufufu, what a feast for the eyes──I mean, this is bad-maru! Hey, Debipachi~, I won’t forgive you-maru~, hmph hmph! Ufu, ufufufu~!”

“Hyah!? Ah~, nooo…… it’s ticklish…… ahh~…… pl-please help me~!”

Just as Kaori was desperately twisting her body──

“Phew, I made it in time~”

“Noa-san!”

Noa, now completely refreshed, returned to the square.

She widened her eyes upon seeing Kaori in her costume.

“Wow, Kaori-san, that’s amazing! You transformed into a magical girl!”

“Um, what should I do about these octopuses……!?”

“Since Noa’s here, you don’t have to worry anymore! I’ll take care of them all~!”

Noa puffed out her chest confidently──

“Ah! Oh no, I forgot to wash my hands! How could I forget to wash my hands in the bathroom, what a lifelong regret! I need to go wash them right now!”

“Eeeeeeh!?”

“Ah, before that…… um, um, what do I have here~…… ah, this will do!”

Noa picked up a tennis racket lying on the ground.

She held out her hand and chanted a spell.

“‘Oh, inner radiance, by my prayer, grant me the power of magical power……’──uh, What’s the next part? Um…… Oryaaaaaaaaah~~~~~~~!”

“That’s so half-hearted!?”

“What matters is the feeling!”

Then, the racket began to glow with a rainbow light.

“Wh-what, the racket is glowing!?”

“Gya-gya-gya!?”

The octopuses clinging to Kaori flinched and retreated in fear.

“Ah, the octopuses let go!”

Noa handed the glowing racket to Kaori.

“Kaori-san, use this!”

“What is this……!?”

“Ordinary attacks won’t work on these black octopuses──Debipachi! Charge this racket with your Prism Power and launch an attack!”

“Um, I heard this earlier, but just what is this Prism Power……!?”

“Prism Power is the total amount of charm a person possesses! IQ, physical abilities, communication skills, financial power, Engel coefficient, body fat percentage, um, and also, bust size, skin age, and all other factors combined into one harmonious whole, converting into Prism Power!”

“Really!?”

“Anyway, someone wearing a magical girl costume can convert their charm into Prism Power and unleash special attacks! Just imagine something fluffy~ and sparkly~, then focus the power into your palm!”

“Fu-fuzzy~ and sparkly~……!? I-I don’t really get it, but I’ll try!”

Kaori concentrated as instructed.

Then, a glowing, rainbow-colored sphere appeared in her palm.

“Ah, i-it’s here!?”

The brilliance of it made Noa and Sumimaru tremble.

“Wh-what!? Such dazzling Prism Power!?”

“Amazing talent-maru! Kaori’s a genius-maru, a natural-born magical girl-maru!”

Noa pushed the racket into Kaori’s hands.

“Use that sphere to launch an attack at Debipachi with this magic racket! It might be hard at first, but aim carefully and try to hit them! I’ll leave it to you~!”

“O-okay, I’ll try!”

After seeing Noa off again, Kaori turned to face the swarm of octopuses.

“Gya-gya-gya……!”

“I don’t hold a grudge, but naughty kids need to be punished……!”

“That’s right-maru! Show them your power-maru!”

Kaori steadied the glowing racket and took a deep breath.

Aiming at the octopus, she swung the racket with all her might, launching the glowing orb──

“H-hyah!”

In an instant, the ball shot out with tremendous force.

──In the opposite direction.

“Ahhh!? It went the wrong way!?”

“What’s going on-maru!? And it’s as fast as a bullet-maru!?”

Despite being a perfect young lady, Kaori’s only weakness was her lack of athleticism.

However, just then.

“Kyaaaaaah!”

“Gya-gya-gya-gya!”

The ball, moving at nearly the speed of sound, directly hit an octopus attacking a student who had been too slow to escape.

DGOOOOOOOOOOOCK!

“Gya──────────!?”

“!? Wh-what!? I’m saved……!?”

The octopus was sent flying, and the student stared in shock.

“Amazing-maru, Kaori! You saved that kid-maru!”

“Ah, I didn’t mean to send it that way, but I guess it worked out!”

“Gi-gi-gi……”

After the student ran away.

A black mist began to seep out of the octopus that had been slammed into the ground.

Then, its body gradually transformed into a translucent rainbow color.

“Ah, the octopus turned rainbow-colored!”

“Wh-what!? You purified Debipachi in one shot-maru!? Such power-maru!?”

While Sumimaru was stunned by the sheer power, Kaori tilted her head in confusion.

“Still, it’s strange. Why did the ball go the wrong way……? I’ll try again!”

Kaori created another ball.

With a graceful motion, she tossed it into the air.

“This time, I’ll aim carefully──hyah!”

ZUBAAAAAAAAAAH!

“Gyagyagyagyah!?”

This time, defying all laws of physics, the ball flew sideways and pierced through a group of octopuses closing in.

“Wh-whoa…… that’s brutal-maru……”

“This is strange, it’s not flying in the direction I intended at all…… hyah! Hyah! Hyaaah!”

Every time Kaori swung the racket, the ball traced an unpredictable path, sending the octopuses flying.

“G-gyah!?”

“Gyagyagyah!?”

“Gyah-gyaaaaaah~~~~!?”

“Um, Kaori, maybe you should stop……”

“Hmm. I must need to focus more. One ball with all my soul! Hyaaah!”

And with that, she unleashed her most powerful shot──somehow aimed at an empty space.

“Ahhh, it went the wrong way again……!”

“Gyagya!”

The octopuses sneered as the ball flew past them.

However─

DOGAN! DOGOGOGOGOGOGOOOOOH!

“Wh-what──a ricochet-maru!?”

The ball, after hitting a wall, bounced off with tremendous force, ricocheting off street trees and the ground, mercilessly striking the remaining octopuses.

“Giiiiiii~~~!?”

“Gyagyagyah!?”

“Gigigigiiiii~~~~~~!?”

“Awa-wa-wa, this is terrible……!”

Unable to predict its trajectory, the octopuses were helplessly turned into targets.

While Kaori trembled at the chaotic spectacle, Sumimaru was ecstatic.

“Whooooa, amazing-maru, way too amazing-maru! The Prism Power infused in the ball, the insane speed of the shot, you’re unbelievable-maru!”

“I-is that so?”

“That’s right-maru! You’re the best-maru, Kaori, you’re our goddess-maru! ……Wait, huh? Kaori, you’re sweating from all the movement-maru. Let me wipe it off with my tentacles-maru~”

“Ah, no, I’m fine──”

“No need to hold back-maru, ufufufu~~~ (DOGOOOH!) Bufo!?”

“Kyyaaaaaah!? S-Sumimaru-saaaaaaaaaan!?”

Sumimaru, who was about to get close to Kaori, was sent flying by the ricocheting ball.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, are you okay!?”

“Ufufu, I’m fine-maru~, in fact, it’s more like a reward-maru~”

With Sumimaru’s sacrifice, the ball fell to the ground and disintegrated into shards of light.

Peace returned to the square, with only the translucent, rainbow-colored octopuses lying around.

“I’ve never seen octopuses like this before. What were they……? When the ball hit them, they changed from black to rainbow-colored……”

“Ah, that’s right-maru! We need to collect them quickly-maru!”

“Collect them?”

Sumimaru raised his hand into the air.

“Come forth, ‘Shiny Octo-Pot,’-maru~~~~!”

Then, a glowing octopus pot appeared out of thin air.

“Wh-whaat!? An octopus pot appeared from nowhere…!?”

“Now, let’s gather them all-maru~~~~! Uuuoooooooh!!”

GYUIIIIIIIII! SHUPOPOPOPOPO!

A whirlwind of rainbow-colored wind swirled out of the pot, sucking up all the octopuses in an instant.

“Th-the octopuses are being sucked into the pot……!?”

While Kaori stood stunned, all the octopuses were neatly stored in the pot.

“Phew. All done-maru!”

Kaori stood frozen in disbelief.

“S-so many strange things have been happening…… Um, Sumimaru-san, what exactly are you……?”

“Kaaaoori-saaaaaaan~~”

Then Noa returned.

Pouting with her hands still wet.

“Ahhhh~, I forgot my handkerchief~, my hands are all wet now~. Can I borrow yours~~?”

“Ah, okay, here.”

“Thank you! Wipe wipe…… Huh? Oh, by the way, what happened to the Debipachis……?”

Noa looked around the now-quiet square and her eyes widened.

“Wh-what!? Did you seriously defeat that many Debipachis in such a short time!?”

“Um, well……”

Instead of the confused Kaori, Sumimaru puffed out his chest.

“That’s right-maru! It was overwhelming power-maru!”

“Amazing, how did you……!?”

“Well, I didn’t mean to, but I just kind of…… went all out, and this happened……”

“W-wait, does that mean you accidentally wiped them all out, like a typical genius move!? Th-that’s incredible! You’re on a whole different level!”

“There’s no one else like her-maru~!”

“Ah, that’s not it, I’m actually not very good at sports…… the ball just wouldn’t go where I wanted……”

Kaori’s explanation fell on deaf ears.

Sumimaru and Noa exchanged looks and nodded firmly.

Noa took Kaori’s hands.

“Kaori-san, please!”

“Y-yes!?”

“Become the ‘Perfect Pure Princess’ and help us!”

“Huh!?”

Kaori leaned back, eyes wide, as Noa leaned in closer.

“I think I heard that term earlier…… but what is the ‘Perfect Pure Princess’……!?”

“I should’ve explained earlier. Actually, Noa is a first-class Royal Magical Mobile Guard of the magical kingdom ‘Prism Wonderland’!”

“A first-class royal magical…… what?”

Sumimaru chimed in from behind Noa’s determined expression.

“The official title is way too long-maru~. Basically, she’s a magical girl-maru.”

“A magical girl, you mean……!?”

“Yes! And I am Sumimaru, the versatile high-mobility support guardian fairy Octo-Type Model Zero-One from ‘Prism Wonderland,’-maru!”

“Too long. Just call him the squid-type fairy.”

Noa shot a deadpan look at the smug Sumimaru.

“Well…… I did think you weren’t just an ordinary squid, but you’re a fairy……?”

Under Kaori’s astonished gaze, Sumimaru did a proud flip in the air.

“Ufufu, that’s right-maru. I’m Noa’s guardian fairy and her supervisor-maru!”

“Sumimaru can identify those with magical girl potential like us and sense the presence of Debipachis!”

“I also have the power to ‘transform,’-maru! I can transform my assigned magical girl into all kinds of outfits-maru! Any cool look, just leave it to me-maru~!”

“The magical girl costumes are also part of Sumimaru’s abilities! Magical girls borrow his power to summon their costumes with their wands, allowing them to transform!”

“That’s amazing, how versatile, Sumimaru-san!”

“Ufufufu~ Praise me more-maru~”

“Though his pervy tendencies are a bit of a flaw.”

Noa sighed with exasperation.

Kaori tilted her head slightly.

“So, what brings the two of you here from the magical kingdom?”

“Well……”

Noa’s eyes wandered for a moment before she spoke with a serious expression.

“Actually, the barrier of the magical kingdom has been breached, and a massive number of Debipachis have escaped into this world across dimensions!”

“Ah! Debipachis…… you mean those octopuses from earlier, right?”

“Yes. Debipachis are troublemakers who love to play pranks on humans, and they grow and multiply by absorbing negative human aura──things like anger, anxiety, and desire.”

“They grow darker the more negative aura they absorb, and as they evolve, they change forms-maru! Some can fly, some burrow into the ground, and some grow huge──there are all kinds of types-maru!”

“Wow, as expected of octopuses from the magical kingdom…… It must be tough living in a place with such terrifying creatures.”

Sumimaru winked at Kaori, who was trembling.

“Don’t worry-maru! In the magical kingdom, we can easily handle them with magic-maru!”

“That’s right! Plus, Debipachis are considered a delicacy in the magical kingdom──something loved by many!”

“Huh!? A delicacy!?”

“Yes! Once purified, Debipachis that have absorbed negative human aura enter a special rainbow state, which makes them extremely popular and sells for a very high price~!”

“Hehe~ Thanks to Kaori, we’ve got a big haul-maru! This is a great start-maru~!”

“We did it, We’re going to make a fortune~! Fuhihihihi! ……Ah! Ahem.”

Noa and Sumimaru were bouncing around the octopus pot excitedly but quickly regained their composure with a cough.

With a serious expression, Noa continued her explanation.

“As you can see, Debipachis are practically harmless in the magical kingdom, but in this world where no one can use magic, they could become a terrible threat. That’s why our mission is to collect all the Debipachis that have flooded into this world!”

“I see.”

Kaori nodded thoughtfully, then furrowed her brows with concern.

“But how did such an important barrier get breached in the first place? If we don’t figure that out, won’t the same thing happen again?”

“Huh? Um, well……”

Noa’s eyes immediately darted around nervously.

“It’s, uh…… the barrier patrols are on a rotation system, and last week it was my turn, but…… um…… the night before, I was working a night shift at a bread factory and kept messing up, stopping the production line dozens of times…… the part-timers were so mad at me that I had to work all night, and…… I ended up oversleeping…… so I was a little late for my patrol shift…… and during that time, a swarm of Debipachis broke through the barrier……!”

“Eeeeeeeeh!?”

“The truth is, Noa’s a huge klutz…… every time she messes up, her debt keeps piling up…… Sob sob, one mistake after another! Mounting debts! Waaaaahh!”

As Noa sobbed dramatically, Sumimaru shrugged.

“The barrier’s being repaired by Noa’s senior Royal Magical Mobile Guards-maru. Meanwhile, we were told, ‘Deal with the escaped Debipachis and don’t come back until you’ve collected all of them!’-maru.”

“But Noa’s such a failure, she’s completely useless…… Sob sob. Please, Kaori-san, become the Perfect Pure Princess──PapiPuri for short──and help Noa~!”

“B-but……”

As Kaori hesitated, Sumimaru pressed on.

“After that battle earlier, I can tell-maru! Kaori has incredible magical girl potential-maru!”

“R-really?”

“The fact that you transformed into that costume on your first try is proof enough! Plus, the qualities needed to be a top-tier PapiPuri are radiant elegance and kindness! You’d make an amazing PapiPuri!”

“……All things Noa doesn’t have-maru. How did she even become a magical girl-maru?”

“Shut up! Besides, aren’t you the one who chose me!?”

Kaori, still unsure, raised her voice.

“Um, I’d love to help, but I’m not sure if I’m up for such a big responsibility……”

Of course, she wanted to help, but the fact that she’d only just learned about Debipachis and magical girls made her hesitant.

To Kaori, her successful transformation and earlier attack felt like luck, and the thought of potentially holding them back made it hard to agree.

Just then, tears welled up in Noa’s eyes.

“Sniff…… sniff…… sob sob……!”

“Huh? N-Noa-san!?”

“Waaaaah! If Kaori-san doesn’t help, Noa won’t be able to pay off her debt, and she’ll be thrown into a magically enlarged spiral shredder, minced into pieces, and scattered as feed for pigs on farms all over the world~! Waaaaaah!”

“Awa-wa-wa……! Th-that’s way too horrible……!?”

As Kaori turned pale, Noa continued to sob while occasionally glancing at her meaningfully.

“Sniff…… sob…… but don’t worry, even if I’m minced into pieces, I’ll never hold it against you (Glance glance)”

“Ah, wait, awa-wa-wa……!?”

Flustered Kaori was then met with Sumimaru’s teary gaze.

“Sniff…… that’s right-maru! Because of joint responsibility, I’ll also be skewered on a stove train, roasted while sipping sake, and become a winter delicacy for grandpas and grandmas-maru! But I’ll accept it-maru! (Glance glance)”

“Huh!? Awa, awa-wa-wa…!”

“Even if Noa and I are tortured, minced into pieces, and turned into crayfish feed, we’d never say it’s because Kaori-san didn’t help us! (Glance glance glance)”

“Hawa, hawawawawa……!?”

“Rest assured-maru! Even if my glorious enpera turned into squid sashimi, my cute legs into fried tentacles, and my delicate insides into salted guts, I’d never hold it against Kaori, Maruuuuuuuuuu! (Glance glance glance glance glance)”

[TN: Enpera = Squid’s Fin]

“Hieeeeeee~!?”

Bathed in the overwhelming pressure radiating from the Noa and Sumimaru, Kaori made a declaration on impulse.

“U-understood! If I can be of even a little help……!”

Instantly, Noa’s face lit up, and she hugged Kaori tightly.

“Waaah, thank you so much! I’ll be counting on you, okay~!”

“Kyaa, Noa-san!?”

“Ahhh, so unfair-maru! I’m gonna hug Kaori too-maruu~ Ufufufu~”

“No, Sumimaru! Step away from Kaori-san, right now~!”

“I-I accepted on impulse, but was this really the right decision……?”

While being hugged by Noa and Sumimaru, Kaori began to worry belatedly—until she noticed the commotion around her.

“Wow, is that girl’s outfit some kind of cosplay?”

“She looks like a magical girl! She’s so cuuuute~!”

“Wait, those octopuses from earlier are gone…… Did she defeat them or something?”

“No way, is she actually a real magical girl……?”

The people who had been evacuating had returned without her noticing and were now surrounding Kaori and Noa at a distance.

“Hieeeeeeeeeeeee~~~!? Th-this is so embarrassing~~~~~!”

“Ah! Wait, Kaori-san~!”

“Where are you gooooiiiing-maru~~~~!?”

Remembering that she was still wearing the incredibly pretty costume, Kaori turned bright red and fled the scene.

Noa and Sumimaru chased after her.

Once Kaori had ducked into an out-of-sight alley, she tearfully pleaded with Sumimaru.

“Um, could you change me back into my regular clothes……!?”

“Ehh~ I wanted to look a bit longer-maru~”

“It’s so cute and suits you so well!”

“Th-thank you, but I’m just not used to wearing something like this, it’s so embarrassing……!”

“Hmm, fine-maru. Leave it to me-maru!”

As soon as Sumimaru said that, it stuck one of its tentacle suckers onto Kaori’s rear.

“Kyaaah!?”

“Transformation release-maruuu~~~~!”

Sumimaru’s entire body glowed, and the light traveled through the sucker into Kaori’s costume—

In an instant, she was back in her school uniform.

“Ah…… I-I’m back to normal…… Thank goodness……”

“This time I undid the transformation, but in the future, if Kaori has her own wand, she’ll be able to do it herself-maru~”

“Y-yes, thank you so much—but, um, was there really a need to touch my butt……!?”

“Touching the butt is the most efficient way to release the transformation-maru. I’m not thrilled about it either-maru, but it’s necessary-maru. What a handful-maru. Yare yare—”

“No way, that’s a total lie! Don’t misuse your authority, you perverted squid—————!”

“Bueeeeeeeeeeh!?”

“S-Sumimaru-saaaaaan!”

Noa grabbed Sumimaru’s tentacle and slammed it, bitaaaaaaan! into the ground.

Noa let out a “Phew” as she dusted off her hands, then looked at Kaori in her uniform with great interest.

“By the way…… I’ve been wondering since we first met—is that the legendary ‘uniform’ I’ve heard about?”

“Yes, it is. It’s the uniform of the high school I’m currently attending.”

“Hmmm, greeeat-maru!”

“Kyaah!?”

Sumimaru, who had instantly recovered, began circling Kaori excitedly.

“So this is a uniform! It’s just like the ones I’ve admired in anime-maru!”

“Huh? Can you watch our anime in the magical kingdom too?”

“Of course-maru! Ahhh, it’s wonderful-maru! This uniform perfectly brings out Kaori’s elegance and charm-maru! And above all, these black tights…… the dignified grace born from hiding bare skin, paired with an exquisite allure! Uhyoooo~, it’s the best, Maru~~~~~~!”

“You’re being creepy! Stop talking so fast!”

Noa’s look of disdain shifted into a sparkling gaze as she stared at Kaori.

“By the way, I’m so happy that I’ll be able to work with Kaori-san as a magical girl!”

“Right-maru! To make sure we can join up immediately if Debipachi appears, it’s better to stay close to Kaori from now on-maru~. Alright, I’ll stalk Kaori constantly-maru! Stalking is my specialty-maru!”

“Denied! You’ll just get reported by passersby and the police called on you!”

“Ugh, I’d rather avoid the police-maru… Hmm, isn’t there a better way-maru~?”

Kaori clapped her hands together.

“Then, how about enrolling in the same school as me?”

“Huh!? Is that even possible!? Oh, now that I think about it, Kaori-san is the daughter of the school’s chairman!”

“W-wait, is that’s true-maru!? Kaori is seriously amazing-maru! If we’re at the same school, we can naturally stay close by—what a great idea-maru~! As expected of Kaori-maru!”

“But, someone of Noa-san’s age would probably have to join the middle school division……”

“Middle school division?”

“I’m in the high school division, but the middle school is for younger students. That said, it’s on the same campus, so we can meet up quickly if anything happens. The uniforms are the same too.”

“Yay! I’ll match with Kaori-san~!”

Watching Noa hop around in joy, Kaori smiled warmly.

“Then, I’ll proceed with the transfer paperwork so you can start attending my school—ah, it’s called Ousei Academy—by next week, if that’s alright with you.”

“Yay, thank you so much!”

“Ufufu, that’s great-maru~… Wait, Ousei Academy-maru!?”

“Kyaa!?”

“Whoa!? That scared me! Don’t suddenly shout like that!”

Sumimaru’s eyes bulged as it started ranting.

“Ousei Academy is the kind of school that makes even crying children shut up-maru! It’s a super, super, super elite school-maru! Not only academically, but it also focuses on education in various fields, fostering students’ independence, and continues to produce talents who excel globally-maru! It’s one of the most prestigious schools-maru!”

“Is that so!? Wait, how do you even know that?”

“I happened to overhear it while secretly stalking—er, I mean, observing some cute high school girls-maru!”

“What the heck are you doing, you perverted squid~~~~!? (Slap———!)”

“Gyah!”

Pressed down with both hands, Sumimaru let out a cry of pain.

Noa tossed Sumimaru aside and looked up at Kaori with admiration.

“But still, being the daughter of the chairman of such a top-tier academy…… Kaori-san, you’re truly amazing!”

“Oh, it’s really nothing……”

Kaori laughed awkwardly, then tilted her head slightly.

“In that case…… we’ll probably be spending a lot of time together from now on, won’t we, Noa-san?”

“Yes! I’ll be counting on you!”

“Then, let’s say Noa-san is a friend of my younger sister. That way, it’ll be natural for us to be together.”

Noa’s eyes widened.

“Kaori-san, you have a younger sister?”

“Yes. Her name is Kasumi, and she’s about the same age as you. She’s currently living overseas with our mother, so I don’t get to see her often…… Let’s say Noa-san came as an exchange student from that country. Feel free to rely on that story for anything, okay?”

“Ah, thank you so much!”

Moved by Kaori’s angelic smile, Noa’s eyes brimmed with tears of gratitude.

Kaori then turned her gaze to Sumimaru.

“By the way, if Noa-san is going to school…… what will you do during that time, Sumimaru-san?”

“No need to worry-maru! If I shrink down like this—”

Sumimaru quickly shrank in size and stuck itself onto Kaori’s bag.

“See? I can even disguise myself as a keychain-maru!”

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

“Ufufufu. From now on, I’ll be a pretty squid keychain accompanying Kaori-maru!”

“W-with me?”

Kaori couldn’t help but widen her eyes in surprise.

She had assumed Sumimaru would stick with Noa.

Sumimaru shrugged its shoulders.

“Of course-maru! I’m a guardian fairy-maru. If something were to happen to Kaori, I could never forgive myself-maru. This is a necessary step to protect Kaori-maru! Yare yare, I’ve got my work cut out for me-maru~”

“Are you sure you’re not just using this as an excuse to spy on Kaori-san’s private life……?”

Unbothered by Noa’s glare, Sumimaru straightened its face with a determined look.

“I can sense the presence of Debipachi-maru! If Debipachi appears, Kaori and Noa will rush in and defeat it-maru!”

“Understood!”

With a determined nod, Kaori agreed wholeheartedly.

Watching her, Noa muttered in puzzlement.

“Even if it’s me saying it…… Kaori-san, it’s amazing how easily you accepted such an absurd story. If it were me, I would’ve kicked this suspicious perverted squid out long ago.”

“Who are you calling a perverted squid-maru!? At least call me a sexy squid-maru!”

Ignoring Sumimaru’s flailing arms, Kaori thought for a moment before speaking.

“It might be thanks to Yuuya-san.”

“Yuuya-san?”

“He’s a man who attends the same academy as me. It’s hard to explain, but…… he’s someone who does incredible things that transcend worlds. When you’re with Yuuya-san, you’re constantly faced with situations that are beyond the norm…… That’s why I’ve gotten somewhat used to unusual circumstances.”

“Heeeh~ So there’s someone that amazing in this world-maru~?”

“Yes. He’s incredibly kind and always reaches out to help those in trouble……”

As she explained, the thought, “Maybe I can help someone in trouble like Yuuya does,” crossed Kaori’s mind, filling her with excitement.

She smiled at Noa and Sumimaru.

“Even if it’s just a little, I’ll do my best as a magical girl too!”

Struck by her radiant smile, Noa and Sumimaru were left dumbfounded.

“Wh-what a smile full of compassion-maru!? Even though she’s been thrown into such a crazy situation, she can still say something so positive and pure!? She’s precious, too precious-maru~~~~!”

“Sh-she’s not just a wealthy heiress, but an incredible person too! Is she an angel!? Amazing, too amazing…… I’ll spend my life licking her shoes! lick lick lick”

“Kyaa!? Noa-san, please stop~!?”

“That’s not fair-maru! I’ll lick Kaori’s shoes too—no, her feet-maru~!”

“Su-Sumimaru-san~~~~~!?”

Under the twilight sky, cheerful voices filled the air.

And so, Kaori became the Perfect Pure Princess magical girl and began her journey to face Debipachis alongside Noa.