Clara might be her own daughter.
Not by birth, but at least by blood and genetics.
The news from Blue Cavalier was a significant shock to Kamui, even greater than the shock of mana exhaustion and being unable to undo her transformation.
And because of that, she wasn’t quite sure how to face Clara.
Though Clara didn’t seem to have any such intention.
“Huh?”
“An amateur Gem Artisan? Can such a craftsman properly maintain a Magic Gem?”
That’s what Clara thought, but Kamui called out to her:
“Anyway, just follow me and you’ll see.”
As they exited the Subway Station, the path leading to the Memorial Monument at the center of the park had been blocked off. Clara and Kamui’s route was obstructed by barricades and holographic projection screens.
“Oh! The entire Square is sealed off?”
“They must be preparing for tomorrow’s parade, right? After all, Monument Square is where the garden party begins.”
Kamui pointed at a sign on the wall as she spoke.
“It’s annoying, but we can’t cut straight through. Let’s just take a small detour?”
“A detour?”
They’d need to go around the Square in a semicircle, though there was no particular rush.
Tomorrow was the anniversary, but the festive atmosphere was already thick. Many shops were taking the opportunity to run promotions, and taking the detour meant they could browse along the way…
But she definitely wouldn’t buy anything, unless the reward money promised by the Association and the Administration Bureau actually came through.
Kamui continued their earlier topic.
“Small companies like the ‘dream witch’ probably don’t stand a chance, but the big companies in Central City all prepare their own flower cars for publicity.”
“Especially those magic power technology companies—their flower cars are showcases of technical achievements… Hmm, they should be quite spectacular, right?”
The parade route was only so long, so the number of flower cars was limited.
Those were indeed slots reserved only for the leading corporations.
[A showcase of cutting-edge technological achievements?]
Nyx seemed to have something to say about that.
[More like a showcase of archaeological findings.]
[Perhaps Jing has already unearthed “new technology” from Nyx’s parts.]
“…Yeah, maybe.”
Ever since they found the “god’s relic,” the relic that might belong to Nyx, she always steered the conversation in that direction.
After all, if it was a god’s relic, then Nyx was an artificial being created by God.
The code name “Nyx” was Clara’s choice; she didn’t even know what Nyx’s actual name was. Even the name Nyx was something Clara derived from the inscriptions on the Drive Unit. What sat before her was just a head, without even memories…
Clara thought Nyx was being a bit too impatient.
In the end, Nyx’s “self-awareness” only came into being after establishing a neural link with Clara, so was the original Nyx still the same individual as the current Nyx?
Still, she couldn’t exactly blame her.
If she had the chance to recover lost memories, Clara might be even more impatient than Nyx…
“We’re here.”
Kamui’s words snapped Clara back to reality.
Without realizing it, she’d forgotten to enjoy the scenery along the way, zoning out as she followed Kamui forward, eventually arriving at…
She looked up.
A fashion boutique, .
“What?!”
[What a coincidence.]
“Don’t be so surprised. The shopkeeper here is a former Magic Girl who retired and opened a clothing store, but she’s also studied jewelry and ornamentation, and she’s quite skilled at tuning Magic Gems.”
Kamui didn’t know Clara had been here before, so she explained: “It was Nyx who originally navigated Clara here.”
Shopkeeper Conno had indeed said she was a retired Magic Girl.
That somewhat effeminate demeanor, that feminine tone of voice, was a lingering aftereffect of having once been a Magic Girl.
To be precise…
It was an aftereffect of having once assumed a female form and ultimately transformed back.
Clara really didn’t want to end up like that herself; she needed to cultivate more masculinity!
However, the fact that he was a renowned fashion designer and a Gem Artisan at the same time took Clara by surprise.
…So, that’s what “amateur” meant?
Come to think of it, the shopkeeper did love incorporating gold, silver, and jewels into his clothing designs. They were beautiful, sure, but the prices were steep for good reason…
After all, the beauty of precious metals and jewelry was exactly what suited his pursuit of “gender-transcendent beauty.”
“Come on in, I’ve already made an Appointment.”
Kamui barged in through the door without ceremony, then reached back and flipped the “OPEN” sign to closed, seemingly a regular here.
“Hmm? Well, well, what do we have here?”
The voice arrived before the person.
The shopkeeper’s soft yet husky voice drifted from behind the rows of clothes racks under the spotlights.
“Oh, a rough tomboy who has nothing to do with beauty, walking into my shop with an adorable little Honey… hmm?”
Compared to how he’d treated Clara and Sista before, the shopkeeper’s attitude toward Kamui was noticeably more caustic, even a little ill-intentioned.
A dark-skinned man with drooping eyes stepped out from behind the clothes rack.
His sturdy pectorals looked like those of a retired special forces soldier, yet the heavy makeup on his face and the neatly trimmed beard created a jarring contrast.
He spread his arms and circled around Kamui, saying:
“I told you long ago, you need to come in for maintenance and tuning at least once a month. So your Magic Gem finally gave out?”
“This situation is a bit special.”
Kamui glanced at Clara.
Even if the Magic Gem had actually malfunctioned, it probably had something to do with that “chain connection” from before. In a sense, that was exactly why she’d asked Clara to come with her.
“Come in, let me take a look first.”
Shopkeeper Conno ushered the two into the back of the boutique.
Compared to the dimly lit storefront, it was actually much brighter back here. Conno took out a toolbox from a cabinet and opened it to reveal delicate Gem Artisan tools that Clara couldn’t make heads or tails of.
Conno extended his hand toward Kamui, who removed the bracelet from her wrist and handed it over.
Conno fitted a monocle over one eye and held the magical bracelet up to the light for closer inspection.
“Didn’t revert even with mana exhaustion? That’s quite troublesome.”
He observed as he asked:
“So then, what exactly is supporting your body right now?”
If Kamui had no magic power at this moment, then what exactly was her current body?
Conno’s meaning was simple: since a Magic Girl’s body was composed of magic power, if Kamui currently had no magic power…