Episode 7 : A special class magical girl's time that is relatively free

　The number of customers who came during lunch time was five. Even though it's time to write in, it's a very sad number.

　Furthermore, only one of the guests visiting this place is an ordinary person, and the remaining four are government and MAGIA officials.

　A government official pretending to be a regular at a maid cafe that doesn't sell well has regular contact with the manager while eating lunch.

　That was the reality of the cafe ``Makiya''.

　By the way, the female customers who come here for Koyomi's unremarkable customer service, who are pure ordinary people who don't know anything about it, are sadly the targets of government surveillance.

　I'd like to say that it can't be helped because it could bring them closer to the truth about magical girls, but I certainly don't want them to step in carelessly and get erase . Koyomi will be sad.

"Recently, there have been a lot of attacks by critical beasts…and special species."

"...Y-Yes...It's scary, isn't it?"

"That's right, luckily I've only seen the scenes where they were cleaned up and the broadcasts on TV, but being able to defeat monsters like that is just like any other magical girl."

　The newspaper reporter who ordered carbonara as usual.Shionji Yuri spoke deeply about the fear of critical beasts and her gratitude for magical girls, as if it were someone else's business.

"I'm not sure when they appeared or where they appeared. However, they is a mysterious hero, or heroine, who fights on a mission to defeat the Critical Beast. There aren't many stories that could lead to a big scoop like this."

"…Ah, ahaha… Yes, that's right…"

"As a reporter, I'd like to do a thorough interview at least once, but I'm talking about these girls who are rare to find. If it's a critical beast, I don't know about it, and I'm sure they wouldn't mind being caught by an ordinary person like me."

　There's a saying, "I don't know, but I'm a Buddha." As a reporter, I understand your desire to get closer to the truth about the world, but if you try too hard, you'll be erased, Yuri-san.

　In fact, since she was talking about such things in such a fluent manner, the eyes of the remaining four government officials became much colder and pierced into her.

　I feel sorry for her, but if possible, I don't want her to ever find out the truth.

"So, isn't there any data on the recent increase in special emergency declarations?"

"I'm sorry, but even we can only say that the relationship between critical beasts is an unknown phenomenon..."

"Well...I guess it can't be helped. However, please carefully analyze the nature of the individual that appeared."

"Ha!"

　The manager, who was disguised as a dull college student, exchanged words in a voice that Yuri couldn't hear.

　``MAGIA'' is a secret agency established under the direct control of the Ministry of Defense to operate magical girls. It is a secret organization whose origins date back to the same time as the appearance of magical girls, and whose existence is kept secret from the public.

　It was written in the setting materials that the store manager, Colonel Junichi Ono, was present at its establishment.

　I don't know why he was involved in the establishment of "MAGIA", or rather, it was blurred out in the setting material collection, but maybe this is it, or maybe creator was planning on releasing a sequel to that shitty game.

　If that's the case, he has a thick heart, or rather, he's very fearless.

　Well, the more involved people like me were, the more likely they were to send letters expressing their feelings, so even if they had a plan, whether or not they could have realized it is a different story.

"This is Neapolitan, sorry to have kept you waiting!"

"Thank you, Hazuki-chan!"

　The woman, who had been talking to the store manager in official mode, changed her calm tone and thanked Hazuki in a voice that sounded like that of a dull college student.

　It's scary that you can turn it on and off. Even people who look like they're smiling at first glance have no idea what kind of dark feelings they have behind the scenes.

　Well, I guess I'm similar when it comes to that.

　'Gawa' is the strongest and coolest magical girl in the setting, but on the inside she's just a useless person who played this game to death.

　Although she is good at grasping the character's tone and role-playing, she is clearly a different person from "Chihaya Saijo."

　Fortunately, I don't think anyone noticed, but there's no guarantee that something will happen somewhere and my true identity won't be revealed. I have to try not to do anything careless as much as possible.

"Please listen Kaburagi.Hey, even though it was a festival, I didn't get a single SSR. Isn't this a scam?

"Hahaha, that's a disaster, Yukina-chan. Well, I got out with just one ticket."

"Ah, you're so sneaky! Boasting about gacha is a death sentence! Death penalty!"

　Like the official who was talking to the store manager earlier, the man called Kaburagi, who looked like a dull college student, was probably a member of the Public Security Department.

　If he wanted to, he could switch the smartphone he was showing off to Yukina into a gun at any time and shoot people without hesitation, which is terrifying.

　Anyway, as Yukina said, bragging about gacha is a death penalty. Why did he get a single ticket? I wonder how many times he was hit on the ceiling to support Kochitora.

``It would be no good if it were noisy at all. This is what college students do, so it's not okay.''

"...I-I see...?"

"Listen, Koyomi-chan, you shouldn't grow up like that either. This is my sincere advice."

"...Yes..."

"Well, Koyomi-chan is a good girl, so there's nothing to worry about. Ha, that's really deplorable. I was forced to hit the ceiling."

　Were you also on the brink of death?

　Feeling a sense of one-sided sympathy towards Yuri-san, who sighs with a troubled look on her face, I continue to act as an ornament near the entrance.

　Koyomi looks like she has no idea what she's talking about, but she's right. Please don't fall into the social game swamp, you won't be able to get out.

　I don't want to see Koyomi panicking because she can't see the rainbow until she hits the ceiling.

　I completely agree with Yuri-san on this matter.

　Perhaps because it was almost time for the afternoon break, both the officials and Yuri-san were busy eating the pasta they had ordered, as if stuffing it into their cheek pouches.

"Thank you very much, please come again."

"It was delicious. I'll come again, Chihaya-chan."

"thank you"

　I bowed to the official with a playful smile, and when Yuri finished paying and left the store, I flipped the wooden sign on the door from ``OPEN'' to ``CLOSE.'' Turn it over.

　If nothing happens, it will probably be time for a break, but I'm sure the store manager, also known as the Colonel, will probably share something about the incident with the critical beast, Pig Surge.

　In other words, it's actually meeting time. Even though the store is closed and it's like a break any time except for lunch, it's pretty dark.

"Well... have the customers left?"

"I locked it. They didn't check to see if they had left behind anything."

"I'll help you, Chihaya Saijo. Now... magical girls, you've guessed it. Please come to the underground briefing room where we'll be sharing information about the critical beast Pig Surge that appeared the other day."

"roger that! "

　The summoned magical girls salute halfway through cleaning up and head toward the basement that leads from the backyard.

　Even so, this is a relatively peaceful way for a special class magical girl to spend her day, so it's a troubled world.

　Why is a special class magical girl imitating a maid cafe? Ordinarily she would be tied to a Self-Defense Force base or garrison, but why is she given some authority to act independently?

　Considering that bloody background, sharing information about the critical beast that was defeated is more than lukewarm.

　I wish that these peaceful days would continue forever if possible, but the reality is that this is not possible.

　Along with the vibration, a shrill alarm sounds through the silent mode from the smartphone in my pocket.

``A special state of emergency has been declared.I repeat, a special state of emergency has been declared. All nearby residents, please evacuate to the nearest shelter immediately.''

　What the mechanical voice announced was a warning that would ruthlessly trample on the momentary peace.

　The declaration of a special state of emergency means that a ``worldquake'' of such magnitude has occurred that we special class magical girls have no choice but to sortie.

　It must have reached the colonel's ears via the Ministry of Defense, as he put on a communication device and stepped into the briefing room with a grim expression on his face.

"Guys, our plans have changed. Immediately head to the area where the warning has been issued."

"roger that! "

　What exactly was this event?

　Since Saijo Chihaya is already dead in the original story, we cannot deny the possibility that something completely unknown awaits her.

　Still, if there is some kind of coercive force in the world, I'm sure this event won't deviate too much from the original story.

　In fact, I hope you don't.

　If my knowledge of the original story quickly becomes useless, I'm in trouble.

　Praying just that, I changed from my maid uniform to a uniform in the changing room and hurried to the underground catapult.