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This marked the end of part 1.
Wow, it was unexpectedly satisfying.
Thank you for the bookmarks and likes.

One day has passed since Ziege’s attack. It is Monday, the start of the week.

After the attack, I and Cherry Blossom was interviewed exhaustively. It was really difficult, especially for Cherry Blossom, whom they interviewed thoroughly as the anticipated new star. Even though she looked exhausted from her first battle, she also managed to reply with a smile. I think it was terrific.

In any case, that was how our Saturday was spent. We spent our Sunday recovering from the exhaustion. It was the first time since a long time that I changed to Gunslinger Rose, so it was very exhausting.

“Onii-san, hurry up!”

When I was reminiscing about yesterday and the day before, I can hear Karen from the door.

“Slow down, the school won’t run anywhere,” I replied with a wry smile. I and Karen will go to school together starting today. I was very happy. It’s better for siblings to be on a good terms than bad terms after all. Well, we weren’t the only ones who changed though.

“Let’s go, Onii-san.”

“Un.”

I put on my shoes and walked out of the door. I turned around after locking the door, and there were two familiar faces there.

“Morning, Kurona, Karen-chan.”

“Good morning! Karen-chan, Kurona-san!”

Shin and Sakura-chan have been waiting in front of the door. Shin lived nearby, so we have walked to school together before, but this was Sakura-chan’s first time. Apparently, Sakura-chan also live nearby.

One of the reasons we would be walking to school together was because of Ziege’s incident the other day. The school called us and asked us to commute to school in a big group if possible¹.

That’s why we were going to school in four.

We chatted on our way to school.

“Onii-san, what’s the lunch for today?”

“It’s ginger-fried pork.”

“What about rolled egg?”

“That too.”

“Yay!”

Karen loosen her cheeks, probably because she was happy over the rolled egg.

I too have slacken my cheeks, happy to see Karen like that.

“Looks like you two have made up.”

“Un, thanks to you.”

“I didn’t especially do anything, I only introduced you to her. Actually, doesn’t it look like you are closer than before?”

“Really? Every time she talked about Kurona-san, I thought it was always like this.”

“Aah! Sakura, shut your mouth!”

“Mumu!?”

The flustered Karen covered Sakura-chan’s mouth with both of her hands and forcibly shutting her up.

“It was just Sakura’s misunderstanding. You get that?”

Karen raised her beautiful crescent eyebrows to me, but her red face doesn’t intimidate me at all.

However, if we end up having a quarrel because I insist on teasing her, then our shopping mall excursion would become meaningless.

“I get it, so please let go of Sakura-chan.”

“Okay.”

Even though she was still red, she meekly complied. Un, she might be more compliant to me than before.

Sakura-chan exaggeratedly catching her breath after her mouth was released, ‘Puhaa’.

“Listen, Sakura. Don’t say anything unnecessary.”

“Okay. Ah, Kurona-san, please hear me out! You see, Karen-chan–”

“Sakura, don’t say anything unnecessary!”

Karen-chan angrily moved to stop her after she immediately broke her promise.

Shin cheerfully smiled while looking at this scene.

“Haha, the three of you gotten closer than before.”

“Well, we did go shopping for clothes together,” Sakura-chan puffed out her chest.

“Hee, did you two choose Karen-chan’s clothes?”

Shin, who knew the purpose of the Saturday excursion, make a reasonable guess for someone who wasn’t there.

“No, we choose Kurona-san’s clothes! Right~?”

“She’s right.”

“Aah….I see….”

However, he smiled at me wryly after hearing that reply.

“Well, you two made up, so everything is fine, isn’t it?”

“Well, you’re right….”

Personally, I wanted to make up the way Shin had suggested, but… oh well, it’s all water under the bridge. Un, what’s important is the result.

So I thought while walking forward.

“Ah, by the way, I have something important to talk to Kurona=san.”

Sakura-chan hit her hand with a pon as if she only remembered that now.

“Hm, what is it?”

“If possible, I want for us to talk alone…” Sakura-chan glanced at Karen and Shin.

The two of them immediately caught her meaning and picked up their pace.

“Then, we will go ahead.”

“Catch up when you are done, Onii-san.”

“Okay, thank you, you two.”

“Thank you very much.”

After the two of them bid farewell, they picked up their pace and kept some distance between us.

I looked around us and confirmed that no one else is around us.

“So, what is it?”

I asked her, and she deliberately “ahem”, clearing her throat.

“Then, I will go straight to the point.”

“Un, go ahead.”

“You are undoubtedly, Black Rose, aren’t you!”

My heart jumped the moment she said that. My smile also falter a bit.

“W, what are you talking about?”

“It’s pointless to hide it! I already confirmed this with Shin-san!”

‘No way’, I thought, but she doesn’t seem to be lying either.

S, Shin!!! How could you expose my identity!

I reproachfully look at Shin’s back that’s further ahead of me.

“Ah, Shin-san isn’t guilty, you know? I brought him some convincing evidence, that’s why. Shin-san simply verified me.”

“…in other words, before Shin told you, you are already convinced that I’m Black Rose?”

“Yes.”

As I resignedly asked, she replied full of confidence.

I unwittingly sighed deeply.

“That’s correct. I’m Black Rose.”

“As I thought!” Sakura-chan shouted happily after I confessed.

But contrary to Sakura-chan’s happiness, my heart felt gloomy.

“…how did you know? Did I make a mistake somewhere…”

“Um, after Black Rose came to my rescue, before you fight Ziege, we chatted a little, didn’t we?”

“Un.”

“At that time, Black Rose said that a young man told her about my Cherry Blossom name.”

Yes, I did say that. However, how did that blow my cover? It indeed was an excuse I came out with desperately, but it didn’t seem abnormal either…

“However, if you think about it, it was an odd conversation. Black Rose at that time should be talking to a young lady than a young man.”

“? What do you mean?”

“I mean, Kurona-san was crossdressing at that time.”

“………….Aah.”

I see, I understand.

As she said. I would have been irritated if I learnt that I had given out my name myself, but at that time, Black Rose would have been talking to me who looked like a girl no matter how you look.² In that case, Black Rose should have said that she had talked to a young lady.

“However, that wouldn’t make for a conclusive evidence. I mean, Black Rose didn’t necessarily have talked to Kurona-san.”

“Well, that’s right.”

“Actually, my first reason is the sense of déjà vu I felt. Actually, Black Rose have saved me once back during elementary school. Your words from back then was the same as the sharp words you said to Ziege. That’s why, this person must be Black Rose. I think that is a good reason.”

“…won’t everyone feel disillusioned if they know that I’m Black Rose…”

“That’s not true!!³” Sakura-chan raised her voice, firmly deny my complaint.

“Even if Kurona-san is actually Black Rose, they won’t be disillusioned! Kurona-san, you have saved a lot of people! They won’t feel broken heart even if that savior is actually a man! Besides, anyone would be understanding if it is you!”

“…um, that sounds like a questionable judgement to me…” she must have said that anyone would accept it because I have girly face, didn’t she.

But even if they were to be the most generous, they would just see me as a girl with sharp, harsh eyes⁴.

“That’s that. Thank you, Sakura-chan. I’m happy that you said that.

My real identity besides, I’m happy that my achievements and disposition are acknowledged.

“N, no! I only said what I thought!” Sakura puffed out her chest with a deliberate cough ‘ahem’ and while being embarrassed.

However, she immediately pull back her chest, and she looked more embarrassed even more than before.

“U, um, actually, I, I want to ask for a favor from that Kurona-san…”

“What could it be?”

“Um, please don’t be angry, okay?”

“If you won’t say anything cruel, I won’t be.”

“Then, then……… ei!”

“Eh?”

Sakura-chan jumped as she yelled.

I instinctively catch her.

Sakura-chan encircle her hands behind my back and hug me tightly.

I thought she had tripped, but it seem deliberate.

Surprised by her sudden action, before I could ask her what’s wrong, Sakura-chan said first.

“Back then… when I was just an elementary school student, thank you for saving me. It was because you had saved me that now, I can stand beside you equally.”

That was her words of gratitude. That was her words that came from the depth of her heart.

“I have always adored you. The fact that I now could stand in the same place as you, it was because of my constant yearning of you. Thank you for continuing to be my star all this time.”

I see. She was aiming for me… for Black Rose. It wasn’t a simple yearning, it was an objective.

“I have been waiting for a long time to thank you like this. I’m glad that I could said it.” Sakura-chan said happily from the depth of her heart.

‘It was just a coincidence.
Sakura-chan was the one who hold onto it.’

I’m joking, I’m not so tactless as to say that.

It was a gratitute that Sakura-chan wanted to pass onto me. Thank you for telling me. That’s why, I don’t say anything unnecessary. I accepted her words without resisting.

“I too, am happy that Sakura-chan had become a magical girl.”

“Thank you, very much…”

I can’t see it from my angle, but she might be crying a little. It was a tearful voice, although just a little.

I should let her stay like this until she calms down… however.

“Sa-ku-raa—!”

I heard an angry voice and I naturally straighten my back.

I looked at the source while surprised. I was Karen who was walking with an expression of a demon coming over.

“”Hi!””

Sakura-chan also saw her, and both of us shriek at the same time.

“Let・him・go!!”

Karen walked up to right in front of us, and she forcibly tore us apart. I said ‘forcibly’, but neither I or Sakura-chan resisted due to fear.

“Why are you hugging Onii-chan! You too, Onii-chan, are heckling and pushing your nose up! How unseemly!”

“I, I didn’t push my nose up, you know?”

“Lies! You did!” She snapped.

Did I? Now I’m losing confidence to make a comeback immediately…

While I silently ponder upon it, Sakura-chan, who had been terrified, turned to grin at Karen and said, “Oh my~? Karen-chan, did you call Kurona-san ‘Onii-chan’~?”

“Wh!? I, I didn’t!”

Er, that’s how you usually call me though.

Although Karen denied it with her face flushed red, perhaps Sakura-chan wanted to continue, so I didn’t say anything.

“No, you- did! ‘Onii-chan!’ Karen-chan is cute~”

“U, uuuuu!”

“Come on, one more time! And cutely, ‘Onii-chan’!”

“Uuuuuuuuuu~~!!”

Teary-eyed Karen glared at Sakura-chan who seem to be having fun teasing her.

“Come on, say ‘Onii-chan’!”

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

“Uwa!?”

After Sakura-chan teased her again, Karen let out a cute howl.

And then, she immediately zoomed to Sakura-chan’s side and thrust her hands between her armpits, and then tickle her.

“Eh, wait, K, Karen-cha, st, o, a, ahahaha! Wa, sto! Ahahahahaha!”

“This, this girl! Taste this!”

“R, really, stop. Ahahahahahahaha!”

Sakura-chan twisted her body in order to escape, but Karen mercilessly continue.

However, Sakura-chan somehow escaped from Karen’s ticklish hell anyway and started running away.

“I, I’m sorry, Karen-chan!”

“You aren’t forgiven yet!”

“I’m sorry~~~!”

It looks like she’s angry on a glance, but she seem to be enjoying this argument. I know just by looking.

“Haha, they act just like high school girls.”

“You’re right.”

Shin said while laughing as he has returned after Karen.

As he said, she is acting more childish than she was at home. I would say that it is age-appropriate behavior.

“Two of you managed to make up, Sakura-chan also becomes a magical girl as she had wished, it is a perfect outcome. I’m glad I asked Sakura-chan to help.”

“Thanks. Without you, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Make me lunch next time then. Then we will be even.”

“No problem. Karen is also indebted to you, so we will cook it together. It is a lunch made by a pretty childhood friend, you know? Only half of it though.

“Thank you for the bonus. I wonder how much it will sell for?”

“I prohibit reselling.”

“What if I sell it through illegal channels?”

“I will also prohibit it.”

“That’s really harsh. It can’t be helped, I will eat it myself.”

“No, since we have the opportunity, let’s eat it together, us four. That would be more fun, right?”

“You’re right. It would be more lively too. Ah, In that case, let’s call Midori and her friends too. They lent us their strength too, after all.”

“Uu… y, you’re right.”

Midori would be happy to be invited… I don’t hate her, but I don’t want to sit on her lap again. I’m troubled.

That aside, he said ‘they’, but in almost its entirely, it was only Miki-san who helped… eh, the rest did hear us out, so let’s count it as ‘they’.

“Ah, now that you mention it.”

Now that I think back to that time, I suddenly remembered something.

“Shin, what bait did you promise Sakura-chan?”

“Aah, that. You see…” Shin operated his phone. And then, he showed me what is on his phone.

“What!” I gasped after seeing the screen.

It is a photo. If it is just any photo, then there wouldn’t be any problem. However, there’s a big problem with this particular photo.

“A photo of Black Rose in maid uniform. It is from the punishment game from a while back.”

It is a photo of an embarrassed Black Rose wearing a maid uniform.

It was a photo from when I played a punishment game with Shin, in which whoever lose will wear a maid uniform. You might have guessed from the picture, but I was the loser.

Eh, never mind that!

“Shin, delete that!”

“I can’t do that! I’m selling it widely for a premium price!”

“Trash! You’re the worst!”

“Haha, say whatever you like!”

“A, wait! Don’t run!” I fumblingly chased after him.

“Haha! Hey, Kurona!”

“What!?”

“I feel like you’re acting like a high school student!” Shin laugh, even while he is running.

He said the most obvious thing though. We, before we are a hero, or a magical girl, we are only a high schooler first and foremost.

“You’re right! But, changing the subject won’t work! Delete that photo!!”

“I refuse!” Shin laugh as he runs.

I might have been laughing while chasing after him.

We are heroes and magical girls. However, we are humans first and foremost.

We may be someone’s star, or someone’s idol, or someone’s savior. We may be someone special to someone.

However, behind our transformations, we are just high school students.

That’s why we are enjoying what we are right now.

“Ah, Nii-san! Help me catch Sakura!”

“Good timing! Karen, help me catch Shin!”

After we told that to each other, we laugh together.

“Now, should we catch them together!”

“Un!” Karen nod smilingly at my suggestion.

We laugh heartily in a world where everyone and my sister can laugh.

Because I became a magical girl to see my sister smile, and to smile back at her smile.

1. TL: As if it will do anything.
2. TL: I have to admit that I failed to completely comprehend this sentence. What you see here is my best guess. I would give you the sentence myself, but I figured it would be a waste of time, since you would need to read the whole thing for context anyway. Still, I will give the sentence just to help others locate it if they want to give it a try. 確かに、俺から名前を聞いたのであれば、認めるのは癪ではあるけれど、ブラックローズはあの時、見た目が完全に女の子の俺と話をしたことになる。
3. Because he is too pretty.
4. Refer to chapter 1 or chapter 2’s notes if you have forgotten. Anyway, what’s with him and his eyes?