Chapter 38
[...Are you sure about this?]
'Are you sure?!'
Three minutes would be one thing, but I have to lie on a strange woman's lap for three hours—and sleep the whole time?
The risk is too great.
It would be better to suffer through it alone and deal with it myself than take on that level of risk.
"Is there... another way? Alice doesn't have that much time."
"Hmm... The faster solution would be for Miss Alice to press the part of her head that hurts against the spot closest to my heart and receive Mental Cure while listening to my heartbeat for about thirty minutes."
"...If you mean the spot closest to your heart..."
-Stare
"Ahaha... Yes, it's the part you're thinking of. Since ancient times, warmth and comfort from a parent—something any living creature would be familiar with—have been known to drive away nightmares. Just as anyone can fall asleep peacefully when held warmly and listening to a heartbeat, they say the Nightmare Queen's nightmares can be chased away the same way. It's a treatment method, and fortunately, all magical girls are the same sex, too. It isn't commonly used, but it's documented as an effective method."
If I had failed to control my expression, my face would have turned bright red.
Literally, this wasn't a healing method one could casually attempt between people of opposite sexes, unlike between two women.
I wanted to refuse that treatment method for no other reason than that I found it burdensome.
[But if you need to hear a heartbeat, wouldn't my back work in theory too?]
'How am I supposed to cast Mental Cure from behind someone?'
[Ah, I suppose that would be impossible given human anatomy. I really am something.]
After giving the stupid mascot an appropriate scolding, I returned to reality and voiced my reluctance.
"Th-that... would be a little difficult for Alice, because she'd feel sorry toward Miss Mia..."
"Huh? I'm fine with it. We're both women, anyway. If it's Senior Alice, I think I'd be happy even if I got to hug you for three hours instead of thirty minutes."
That's because we're not both women.
"...Alice is embarrassed by excessive physical contact."
"Oh my."
I couldn't think of a suitable excuse, so I simply blurted it out.
It was already common knowledge that Alice refused even light physical contact, whether with magical girls or civilians.
Even without confirming it this way, most Alice fans already thought, 'Oh, she's acting like that because Alice is embarrassed!'
Mia had been an Alice fan for years, so even if I said this, she probably wouldn't be shocked; she would merely feel that the official side had acknowledged something she had already more or less expected.
Why not? Alice was human too. She was allowed to feel embarrassed.
"I expected as much, but the more I see you, the cuter you are, Senpai... Ah, I'm sorry. Um... Anyway, physical contact is burdensome for you, and you'd prefer a shorter time, right?"
"...Yes."
"Then... how about this? It won't have as immediate an effect as the methods I mentioned earlier, but... would you be able to make time for about a week from today? Around thirty minutes a day."
...It was a little bothersome... but not impossible.
"I can manage that."
"Great. Then you'll just need to meet me for the next week and receive Mental Cure for about thirty minutes each time. That much is all right with you too, isn't it, Senpai?"
...At least this would be less burdensome.
If I rejected this too, the only options left would probably be the two she'd just mentioned. I had no idea what she might suggest after that.
Besides, I did have a conscience, so after dodging her this much, I felt awkward about turning her down yet again.
"In your current state, you're probably suffering quite a lot even normally, but it should be greatly alleviated while you receive treatment. As long as you don't overexert yourself mentally, you'll return to your usual healthy self as Alice after completing the full week, so please don't worry."
"...Thank you, Miss Mia."
"Aw, you don't have to thank me just because you're my senior. You're a magical girl, after all. This much is only natural. Now, come over here and sit comfortably. You'll need to stay still for about thirty minutes, so sit in the most comfortable position possible. You can lie down if you'd like, but... I only have one bed in the house... hehe... That would be a little awkward for you, wouldn't it?"
"...I'll sit."
No matter how you looked at it, I couldn't lie down on a bed someone else had used just for the sake of comfort.
This would have been uncomfortable regardless of gender.
-Vwoom
"Hmm... Because of the nature of Mental Cure, you may feel a little drowsy and strange."
"I've received Mental Cure elsewhere before. Don't worry."
"Ah, but the sensation the recipient feels differs depending on which magical girl casts Mental Cure. It will probably feel different from what you experienced before."
...I genuinely had no idea.
"Now, don't worry... It'll feel good... Just relax as though you're getting a massage and try not to tense up. If you force yourself to stay tense, it might hurt."
"...Something about that line sounds strange... Ngh..."
-Vwoom
Mia's hands touched my head, and a strange energy flowed from there into my mind.
As she'd just said, this wasn't my first time receiving Mental Cure, but the sensation was different from before.
When I'd received it in the past, it had simply felt cool and made my thoughts a little clearer. This time, though, a warm, comforting energy seemed to spread from my head throughout my entire body.
Could it be because the caster had been an Alice fan for years, causing her feelings to seep into the spell?
"Ngh... mmph..."
"Seeing how strongly you're reacting, you must have been suffering quite a lot. Here, a towel. If you're embarrassed about making noises, you can bite down hard on it."
-Clench
"...Mmph."
I kept the towel obediently between my teeth not only because I was embarrassed, but also because I was worried my voice might change.
Alice's normal voice was one I had to consciously produce, so if I let my real voice slip out while I couldn't control it like this, I would be in serious trouble.
My real voice wasn't particularly deep or masculine either, but it was still different from Alice's tone, so I had to be careful.
"Mm... ngh..."
-Vwoom
"It's all right. I'll drive away every last nightmare that's been tormenting you, Senpai. It doesn't make sense for a kind, beautiful, cute, and strong magical girl like you to be defeated by something as trivial as a nightmare."
"Mmph... wh... what are you... ngh...?"
"It hasn't even been five minutes yet. It feels strange, doesn't it? Nightmares overlap with the realm of dreams, and erasing them inevitably requires contact with dreams, which is why. It should feel as though you're floating, just like when you're dreaming."
That was part of what I was feeling, but an even subtler sensation was spreading from my head throughout my body.
How could I describe it... Yes. If I described it as Mia, that would fit perfectly.
Something like the feelings Mia had for Alice was spreading throughout my entire body.
It was warm and comforting, yet so pure and devoid of malice that it made this body full of lies reject it and feel embarrassed instead.
That state continued.
I floundered in that state until, somehow, thirty minutes had finally passed.
-Flash
"There, we're done. You worked hard."
"Ha... haa..."
"Hmm... You sweated quite a lot. This is the first time I've seen you struggle this much... The Queen's Echo must really be embedded deeply, huh? Senpai, did you sleep properly last night? At this level, no matter how strong your mental fortitude is, you wouldn't have been able to sleep at all."
"I... couldn't..."
I wiped my forehead, damp with sweat, with my sleeve and smoothed down my disheveled hair.
What kind of ordeal was this, just for coming over to receive Mental Cure once?
The thought of having to go through this six more times was already making me worried.
"Don't worry. After a week, I'll take responsibility and return you to your perfect Alice self."
"...Thank you, Miss Mia... Huh?"
I straightened my clothes and skirt and stood up to thank her, only to find that the energetic Mia from a moment ago was gone, replaced by a tired-looking one.
"...Are you all right?"
"Ah... It's nothing. I'm only B-rank, so... even using Mental Cure for thirty minutes leaves me no choice but to use almost all my magic power. So I'm just a little tired... yawn. That's all."
"...You're not overexerting yourself because of Alice, are you?"
"Of course not! I only used up all my magic power! It fills back up if I get a good rest! You don't need to worry about me, Senpai!"
"Please don't overexert yourself, all right? If you're pushing yourself because of Alice, Alice wouldn't feel good about it either."
"How do you manage to say such beautiful things, Senpai... I'm actually incredibly happy right now, so please don't worry! Your happiness is my happiness! Being able to help someone I admire is such a huge blessing!"
...I don't know that kind of feeling.
Maybe it would have been different long ago, but it was too late for me to learn it now.
"Alice is happy to hear you say that too, Miss Mia. Then... Alice will be heading back now. You should get plenty of rest too, Miss Mia."
"Yes, you too, Senpai! Have sweet dreams!"
"...Thank you, as always."
"Huh."
-Flash
Embarrassed for no reason, I moved away without listening to what she said next.
Still, my mental state had definitely become much healthier.
A great deal of the storm clouds had disappeared, and the pain that struck like lightning was gone too.
I wondered if that meant it was over, but she had said I needed treatment for a week, so it would be better to obediently receive all of it.
Ignoring a professional's prescription based on my own unprofessional judgment would be foolish, after all.
...Since I'm out already, should I stop by a café?
[Is Mental Cure affected by the caster's feelings toward the recipient? This is something I only just learned too.]
"How would I know just because you ask me?"
Even after eight years of working as a magical girl and accumulating all sorts of knowledge, Alice was ultimately just one magical girl.
There were limits to the knowledge one could acquire alone.
Tokkaengi also knew the information shared among mascots, but that information didn't contain everything, so I had to be ready to accept new information at any time.
This time, too, I took a roundabout route, undid my transformation to return to my real form, and headed to the café I could see nearby.
I didn't often go to cafés, but it seemed I had been regretting not going earlier, when I'd been debating whether to.
'Iced Americano... one... No, two cups.'
[You're getting two? After finally getting treated, are you planning not to sleep?]
'...Two iced chocolate lattes.'
I carried one in my hand and took the other home in a to-go cup.
By the time I got home, about thirty minutes had passed since Alice left.
-Ding-dong
"Yeees... I'm coming..."
-Creak...
"...Huh? Mr. Se-jin?"
"...I went to a café while I was out for a walk and accidentally ordered two, so I thought I'd give you one."
-Flash
Even after she'd undone her transformation, the fatigue from exhausting all her magic power remained, but the tired look on her face instantly lit up.
"Th-thank you. I'll enjoy it."
"...Are you tired?"
"Ah... something came up. I'll feel better after I get plenty of rest. But is this coffee... huh? It's chocolate?"
"...I was trying to buy coffee, but I accidentally bought this."
"Come on, what kind of mistake is that? You must like sweet things. Actually, baking cookies is my hobby. Should I bake you some sometime?"
"...............I'm fine."
"Ahaha, I'll bake you some next time. Please give me an honest review."
I don't like sweet things.
Ever since long ago, I've disliked them enough to leave them uneaten and give them all to someone else.
Even so... I couldn't deny that sugar itself had the effect of lifting one's mood.
Nor could I deny that getting enough sugar helped maintain one's quality of life.