The mission ended quite “easily.”
But the feeling left behind was complicated.
After being fired, she beat up her former company’s juniors, and used her finishing move on those who tried to escape.
To play the role of a “hero” was such a harsh job, even to the point of risking her juniors’ lives.
Though Clara was reluctant, she still had to put on a smile for the arriving “Crows”—it was also part of a hero’s job, something President Cheshia had specifically reminded her to do.
Clara took a deep breath, steadying herself.
She had to “play” the role of Clara well.
Seeing that Clara hadn’t immediately left the scene, the “Crow” drones quickly swarmed in for interviews: “Hello, Miss Clara, I’m a reporter from ‘Heroes Today’ magazine. It’s hard to imagine the famous ‘Nightmare’ would be interested in the technology behind the security robots. Miss Clara, did you perhaps receive any tip-offs beforehand?”
“Tip-offs? No, I had no idea! I just happened to pass by Hachimon Station~”
Of course, Clara had to deny it.
If she had “foreseen the crime” but still waited for it to happen before intervening, then the nature of this whole matter would change.
But the reporter piloting the “Crow” pressed further: “To arrive at the scene the very instant the incident broke out—are you sure it was just by chance?”
What an annoying conspiracy-theory media.
No, perhaps this was a reporter’s intuition?
There had been scandals before of heroes colluding with villains, so it was understandable that a new hero like Clara would be suspected. Once a hero was exposed, they’d soon be forced to retire in disgrace, even if they confessed—the result would be the same. That’s why no one ever admitted to such things.
There was absolutely no way she could mention spending more than half an hour shivering in the cold at the subway station!
Still, these “Crows” didn’t dare dig too deeply, since investigating a hero’s true identity was illegal. If they didn’t find anything, they’d end up in jail themselves.
So, Clara kept smiling and continued to deny it.
“I really was just passing by~ I didn’t even know that cute dog statue could turn into a machine gun! To attack such an adorable statue… these criminal organizations lately are just too wicked~”
[Your cutesy act is getting better and better, Clara.]
Mind your own business!
Even if it were true, Clara didn’t want to be called out so easily.
She really hadn’t noticed that the dog statue was actually a firepower platform.
Earlier, she’d even seen people taking photos with it, thinking it was just a landmark of Hachimon Station.
But if even a bunch of bottom-tier villains could easily dismantle it, relying on it for public security might be a bit difficult.
“Oh, Miss Clara, you really are adorable!”
Another drone moved in to flatter her and asked the next question.
“I’m a reporter from ‘Justice News Network.’ All those villains you defeated are still alive—was that because you went easy on them?”
“A villain’s life is still a life. Sending them back to ‘Divine Abyss’ wouldn’t serve much purpose, right? After all, the existence of evil organizations is also necessary for this world. Since the situation was under control, there was no need to kill them… right?”
Clara answered with an even brighter smile.
“Oh, what a kind response! Very much in line with the traditional image of a magical girl!”
Then, the drone in front of her switched out for another.
“Hello, Miss Clara, I’m from the ‘Magical Girl Daily.’ May I ask, where did you obtain your magical gemstone? According to a spokesperson for the Magical Girl Association, black magical gemstones theoretically don’t exist. That color is closer to the core of a being from the Dark Domain…”
Clara had never even thought about this question.
After all, she didn’t have any magical gemstone; what she had was just a fake conjured up by Nyx.
“That’s my secret! Mister Reporter, it’s not good to pry into things like that, you know?”
Clara dodged the question.
The source of a hero’s power was a secret; even the Hero Association wouldn’t dig into it lightly. This “Magical Girl Daily” reporter was really too rude!
But after that, a barrage of various questions came one after another.
“Miss Clara, do you currently have a lover?”
With her current appearance, she didn’t even look fourteen. Was it really appropriate to ask such questions?
“No!”
“Are your tentacles real? Have you had any modification surgery?”
Clara lifted one of her tentacles on camera, waved it, and curled it into a heart shape, posing cutely for the lens.
“Mwah~ That’s a secret too, but aren’t my tentacles adorable?”
Her lively, youthful performance was a big hit. That pose just now would probably end up on the cover.
“It’s said you’ll be collaborating with the Sigma Heroes soon. Is that true?”
Eh? Even that rumor had gotten out?
“About that… please refer to the official announcement. I don’t know anything about it yet! Next question~”
She really didn’t know. With President Cheshia’s bad temper, the talks could collapse at any moment.
“Hello, Miss Clara, why do you wear a gas mask? Could you take it off and show us your real face?”
Another impolite media. Clara responded, a bit impatient.
“Ha, why ask about the purpose of a magical girl’s battle suit? Why not ask why super robots are designed to look humanoid? Or why giant aliens can only stay on the moon for three minutes? Or why the Kamen Hero’s driver has to be an inconveniently big belt? Or why the leader of a ranger squad is always red? At least, my gas mask actually serves a purpose in some situations~”
Tsk, she couldn’t hold it in anymore and snapped back.
The various media outlets were completely chaotic, and a swarm of drones clustered in front of her, each chattering away. Describing these media as “Crows” was truly fitting.
The corners of Clara’s mouth began to twitch. It was getting harder to maintain her dazzling fake smile.
Just as she was about to find an excuse to slip away, yet another question came her way:
“Miss Clara, how do you feel about the ‘Fourth Calamity’ putting you on the urgent extermination list, and even holding a press conference about it in Odo Bimos? What are your plans?”
What? Urgent extermination list?
Different organizations had different names for it, but it basically meant she was a key target.
“Oh? I didn’t even know about that?”
Clara felt a bit nervous, but showing weakness now would definitely hurt “Clara’s” popularity. She could only force herself to keep up the tough front.
“For such a big organization to target a rookie hero like me—I must really impress them~ But whatever, let them try if they can!”
She’d already seen Psycho’s strength and had a general idea of the “Fourth Calamity” officers’ level—they couldn’t possibly be stronger than that witch, right?
With that, she waved her hand as if shooing them away.
“Alright! I’m so thirsty after all this talking! That’s it for today’s interview~ Goodbye! Mwah~ (wink and air kiss)”
Clara said this as she retreated behind the police line.
Turning around,
Her smile vanished instantly.
The site repair company and the medical company tending to the wounded had already arrived, and a holographic cordon was set up at the scene to keep out drones and cameras.
So as long as she retreated inside the subway station, she could avoid being pestered by the media for now.
After that,
Clara hesitated a moment, then walked over to the inflatable medical tent by the exit and peeked in through the little ventilated window.
The three poor souls who didn’t even realize they’d been used as “experience bags” were all lying flat on their beds, wrapped in bandages. The medical robots had already given them emergency treatment.
Thanks to Clara’s restraint, all of them were alive.
The sloth, whose leg had been trapped under the deformed train car, was actually the least injured.
Chicken Guy and Dinosaur Man, on the other hand, had been struck directly by the ink-stained beams, leaving them with serious wounds. Their whole bodies were pitch black, except for their eyes, which still had color.
Should she go in to visit them?