8 Magical Girl Saves Her Father

Author: Kumanano
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7313mj/8/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

After I killed the crow tainted by miasma, I ended up in a feeling I couldn’t put into words.
The Cat God told me, “Try thinking of it as defeating, not killing.”
The words are similar, but killing and defeating are different.
I switch my feelings.
I tell myself I can fight.
From now on I have to fight as a magical girl.
And more than anything, I have to save Dad.
I can tell my heart is gradually settling.

“Ordinary girls cry, or they hate it, but you’re different.”
“So, with this, can I save Dad?”
“I still think it’s early. But stopping you looks pointless.”

I know Dad is suffering.
I want to save him even a little sooner.

“Well then, tonight, let’s save your dad.”

I can finally save Dad.

And late at night, the time is 11:00 p.m. In another hour the date will change. Dad still isn’t home.

“Well then, shall we go?”
“Where? Aren’t we waiting for Dad to come home?”

Lately Dad comes home around when the date changes. So I’ve been told to eat first and go to sleep.

“Your dad doesn’t want you to see him in bad shape, so he’s killing time at a park nearby.”
“……!”

I didn’t know.
Then when he’s at home, that’s when his condition is good?
But even when he’s at home, he looked in bad shape.
Then when he’s outside, his condition is worse than the Dad I saw.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“If I told you, you’d go to your father, wouldn’t you. So I didn’t say anything until you could handle magic.”

I can’t argue. If I’d known Dad was suffering alone in a park, I might have gone.
No. If I’d thought Dad was suffering alone, I would definitely have gone to see him.
I transform into a magical girl and head for the park.
It’s a somewhat large park, and it has a walking course too.

“Where’s Dad?”
“This way.”

The Cat God guides me.

“There he is.”

Dad is sitting on a bench.
The streetlight over the bench lights him.
That Dad looks like he’s in pain.

“You should be able to see it now.”
“See what?”
“Look closely.”

I look at Dad.
From Dad’s body I can see the same black haze as the crow.

“Is he tainted by miasma?”
“That’s a curse of people who resent your father.”
“A curse. How do I save Dad? If I loose magic, Dad will get hurt, right?”

He said magic is the same as a weapon.

“Look closely. Unlike miasma, a curse curses a person. You should be able to see things in human shape around your father.”

I strain my eyes and look at Dad.
Then I see the shapes of men around Dad.

“I see them. There are three.”
“You just have to shoot those with magic loaded with mana.”
“Those things shaped like people…”
“What happens if I defeat them?”
“They disappear. They disappear, and your father is saved.”

Dad looks like he’s in pain.
I formed a contract with the Cat God and became a magical girl to save Dad. If there’s something tormenting Dad, I’ll protect him.
I create mana.
Then I loose mana at the man glaring at Dad.
The mana goes straight through the man. Then it scatters and vanishes.
I keep going and loose two mana bullets.
The two mana bullets go through the remaining men.
The men who were by Dad vanish.

“Is it over?”
“It isn’t over. They’re going to come at you, since you’re the one who attacked.”

The black haze I thought had scattered comes at me.

“All that’s left is to defeat them.”
“How?”
“Just attack over and over. They’ll vanish before long.”

I fly around and attack the black haze.
In the black haze I can see the men’s faces.
It’s disgusting.
I loose mana bullet after mana bullet.
The haze dodges.

“Hit!”

I create countless mana and loose it at the haze.
Countless mana bullets hit the haze, and it scatters.
In the instant it scatters, the men’s faces warp.

“Nnh…”

They aren’t people, but it feels awful.

“I don’t want this anymore.”

I don’t want to fight.

“Look at your father.”

I look at Dad as I’m told.
Dad is looking at his own body as if puzzled.

“His condition got better all of a sudden, so he seems to think it’s strange.”
“Dad, is he all right now?”
“You saved him.”
“I did…”
“Come on, if you don’t go home, he’ll notice you aren’t in the house.”

Dad stands up and starts walking.
I have to get home fast.
I hurry home.
I go back through the second-floor window into the dark room and change into pajamas in an instant.
I made it.
Flying through the sky, I got home first.
After a while, I hear the sound of the front door opening.
I leave my room and go downstairs.

“Dad?”
“Yuna, were you still up?”
“No. I came to get water, and I heard the door open.”

I cover so Dad won’t worry.

“Dad, how are you feeling?”
“Ah, I’d been in bad shape for a while, but I’m all right now.”

Dad smiles and puts his hand on my head.

“It’s late, so go to bed.”
“Okay. Good night, Dad.”

I go up the stairs and come back to my room.

“Dad really is all right, right?”
“For now.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, ‘for now’?”
“This time is all right, but it means he might be cursed again later. Your father does work that gets him resented.”
“Then he might be cursed again?”
“A strong curse is rare, so I think it’s all right, but there’s no such thing as never. Well, when that happens, you can become a magical girl and save him. That’s why you formed a contract with me and became a magical girl.”

The Cat God is right.
I became a magical girl to save Dad.
From now on too, I’ll save Dad.