Misunderstood Vampire Bakasane-chan - Chapter 15: What’s a Magical Girl Flag?
I like bears the most among animals, but that doesn’t mean I hate rabbits or anything.
No, on second thought, I like them quite a bit. After all, their agility is impressive enough to have been chosen for the zodiac, and they’re small and soft. If you say they’re cute, you’re right.
In elementary school, when I was in charge of taking care of animals, I often cleaned up the round poop they left on the ground.
But well, even though it wasn’t too smelly, thinking about this during a meal wasn’t a great idea. I need to reflect on that.
“Yum yum.”
Right now, I’m crunching on an apple carved into the shape of a rabbit. A variety that’s sweeter than sour, amusingly oozing more juice the more I chew it.
Was it a “Delicious mountain rabbit”? Well, cute and delicious – rabbits are amazing.
Next to me, apples are being taken out of a basket and processed one after another.
The generous Ran, who visited me and said she couldn’t eat them anymore, treated us to these as a get-well gift. As usual, she’s flat-chested.
While smiling wryly, she placed the last piece on the plate and spoke to me, munching away.
“Haha, Kasane-chan, is it tasty? I know; a friend of mine brought in fruits… for some reason, it was just apples, but I had too many leftovers… It’s nice to see you eating so heartily.”
“Ran-chan, you’re not one to hold back… Did you always like sweets this much?”
“Well… I do like tasty things.”
Yes, I can eat anything as long as it’s not shiitake mushrooms, and if it tastes good, I can eat a lot.
However, it’s in amounts suitable for my small body.
When the boys in my class saw my lunch, they asked if that little was enough for me, and for some reason, I was even given bacon-wrapped asparagus.
It tasted bland, so I sprinkled cocoa-flavored protein powder and ate it. It was pretty good.
The guy who gave it to me made a strange face when I sprinkled it heavily. Maybe he wanted me to use strawberry-flavored protein powder.
“It was delicious.”
“Here, you’ve got something in your mouth.”
“Hmm?”
“Hehe… Ran-chan’s lips are so plump…”
“Huh?”
While I was thinking about such trivial things and finishing chewing, Misaki, for some reason, started wiping around my mouth with a tissue.
I appreciate her being so attentive, but was I that messy? After wiping for a while, she started poking next.
As usual, I don’t get it. As I tilted my head, Ran, who had suddenly turned somber, spoke up.
“…Kasane-chan, do you still like me?”
“I still like you, but I can’t say I was okay with what you did that time.”
“Ugh… Sorry for causing you trouble then.”
“Yeah.”
“…Ran-chan, your fangs are cute. Can you bite me later?”
“Misaki, can you stop clinging to my mouth soon…”
“Oh, sorry.”
“Haha. You guys are the same as ever… and that’s nice.”
As usual, I retorted to Misaki, and Ran burst into laughter. Suddenly, the air around her seemed softer.
Silence fell, but it wasn’t uncomfortable; everyone seemed to smile somewhat.
“Haha… That’s nice.”
Ran, lifting herself from the white bed, muttered softly in the distance.
Ah, it feels like we’ve become closer recently, and I like this relationship.
It’s different from the peaceful feeling I had in my past life when I was close to Mitsuhiko.
But still, some things need to be settled. I asked her directly.
“So, why did that weirdo attack you that day, Ran?”
“Ah, that… technically, I lost the fight. Didn’t land a single hit. No, I never imagined Kasane-chan would kick that guy down…”
“Hm? That guy was just a weakling, right? I bet even John or Mitsuhiko could handle him easily.”
“Ha… You and the vampire stuff are always so high in combat ability…”
“Is that so?”
I can’t help but tilt my head. Bakasane-chan is extremely strong, and John’s abilities are somewhat unfair, but Mitsuhiko is just about winning with muscles.
However, the combat power hidden in muscles might indeed be incredible. They’re like a mass of protein, but they can exhibit unimaginable power if developed for aesthetics and efficiency.
Midway through, as I nodded in understanding, Ran, with a somewhat cold look, said,
“Whatever Kasane-chan is convinced of, well, that’s fine. Sorry for leaving the clean-up to you after I fainted… It was my first time being interrogated by the police.”
“That’s right. I was so surprised I didn’t know what to say! But, in the end, the police officer gave me a tasty candy, so it’s all good.”
“Ha… Ran-chan, you are a glutton… Well, it’s good that Mr. Ikeya wasn’t hurt… Instead, how did those injuries heal so quickly?”
“Oh, I was wondering about that too. Are you like a vampire or something, Ran?”
After that incident, the police and ambulances came due to someone reporting the blood, but before they arrived, Ran’s injuries mysteriously healed.
It’s good, of course, but since her injuries healed, the situation became confusing.
A girl covered in mysterious bloodstains – it was quite a scene.
According to my father, it even made a brief appearance on TV. Something about Bakasane-chan’s blonde hair being on some channel.
Nobody really understood what happened, and Ran also feigned ignorance, so after being questioned thoroughly, I was left feeling unsatisfied.
I wonder if Ran has some special powers, and she finally spoke with a heavy heart.
“… It would be too insincere not to tell you guys… Okay, no choice… Gordric, you were listening, right?”
“…Is it alright?”
“Whoa, a voice came from the necklace!”
Suddenly, a man’s voice echoed, surprising me. No way, the necklace I’ve been wearing since that blood-soaked, fluttery outfit turned out to be a communicator. It looks nothing more than a toy jewel.
As I stood agape, that, what’s his name, Gordric, continued.
“First… I apologize for any inconvenience caused by our shortfall. I am Gordric Baltram Ragnar. I’ve been rudely eavesdropping, but may I know your names, young ladies?”
“I am Takano Misaki. And…”
“I’m Bakasane-chan!”
“I see, Takano Misaki-san and Bakasane-chan, right? I’ve recorded that.”
“Whoa, Ran-chan’s nickname got recorded…”
Misaki seems concerned that my honorific was recorded.
But her acting suspiciously and shaking nervously is nothing new.
Ignoring that, I asked the long-named Gordric.
“So, it’s fine you recorded that, but who and where are you, Gordric? You seem kind of… otherworldly.”
“Ra-Ran-chan, don’t say scary things! What if this is a channel from the afterlife, it’ll turn into a horror story!”
“Heh… Smart to guess just by the voice. Not bad, Bakasane-chan.”
“Well, of course. Bakasane-chan is the strongest.”
“I see; you claim to be the strongest in this world… I’ve recorded that.”
“Whoa, even Ran-chan’s self-proclamation got registered!”
Now, Misaki is concerned about a plain fact. She’s a strange one.
But it’s well-known that she tries peeking into my chest or under my skirt.
Ignoring her, I continued conversing with Gordric, who seemed like a natural airhead.
“So, Gordric, where are you speaking from?”
“Hmm… Before that, let me ask. Do you girls know that Ran has reincarnated from another world?”
“I know.”
“Eh? It’s news to me… huh? Reincarnation from another world that’s like anime stuff, right? What does that mean, Ikegaya-san?”
“Ah… actually, I was a guy in my previous life, died in a similar world, and got reincarnated here.”
“Whoa… that’s shocking.”
“Ah, by the way, I’m also reincarnated!”
“Ran-chan too!? Despite being such a goofball, you have memories of your past life?”
“That’s rude.”
Misaki exclaims something outrageous.
No way a genius like Bakasane-chan could be so foolish.
I’m naturally gifted, just an extra with memories. How often has mom said I’m a child who can do it if I try?
Ignoring Misaki’s absurd remarks, Gordric continued.
“Well, I’m from a far more distant world than that… a world where magic-like technologies have developed.”
“I see. So, you can’t show yourself?”
“Not that I can’t… We’ve only established a connection as thin as a fingertip between our worlds, but it’s possible to project my image.”
“Like this.”
“Whoa!”
“Wow!”
Following Ran’s cue, the jewel-like communicator in her hand sparkled, projecting something like a hologram into the air.
The figure in the hospital room was a rather pompous man with long blue hair and distinctive black eyes. Wearing something like a crown, he was as handsome as Mitsuhiko.
But…
“He’s lacking muscles… disappointing.”
“Heh. To not lose against my beauty, but rather criticize, Bakasane-chan is the first. I’ll record this.”
“Whoa, Ran-chan’s twisted muscle love has been recorded in another world!”
“Muscle love is major, right? It must be the same in another world.”
“No, muscular types are outdated in our world. But it seems different for you… Interesting. I’ll record this.”
“What a revelation.”
“Ah… we’re getting sidetracked, but do you roughly get it? I was asked by this otherworld king, Gordric, to defeat evildoers who escaped from the other world.”
“Heh… that’s incredible.”
“Hmm.”
Another world and a king, many unbelievable words are thrown around.
Even for Bakasane-chan, it takes a lot of work to keep up. Misaki quickly gets carried away, but I find it hard to nod along simply.
Why does a king always come into these stories? Normally, wouldn’t you leave it to someone else? And why was Ran chosen to ask?
Holding my twin-tails with both hands, I blurted out.
“Isn’t this a bit suspicious?”
“Is it? It seems like a common pattern in magical girl stories.”
“No, realistically thinking, isn’t escaping criminals more like an international issue? Why rely on just Ran?”
“Uh, that’s true… why?”
“I don’t know why, but there’s already a connection. Even if you want to downplay such a potentially huge problem, leaving it to one person is a bad move… The king isn’t foolish enough not to understand that, right?”
“Heh… You’re sharp. I’ll remember that.”
“Whoa, Ran-chan’s being praised for her intelligence for the first time! Another world is vast!”
“What is Misaki talking about…”
As I looked at Misaki, who couldn’t read the room and blabbered about Ran-chan being serious, I swallowed a sigh with disdain.
Then, I stared intently at the suspicious king projected like a hologram in the air.
After a while, Gordric spoke heavily.
“Well, of course, I didn’t intend to downplay this significant matter of a small band of thieves escaping to another world. The fact that I’ve been constantly involved in governance is proof.”
“So, showing your face like this is at least a sign of sincerity?”
“Exactly. But it took a lot of work. Even using various magics, we barely had enough power and needed a relay point.”
“Hmm, I see. And that relay was Ran, who has a soul from another world?”
“Exactly. She’s shifted towards our world in terms of soul distance. So first, I contacted Ran. I explained the situation and asked what should we do.”
“Ah, it started like that…”
Letting her single tail loose, Ran played with her long, black hair and muttered nostalgically.
So, Ran was chosen by chance, and that’s how the story began. But what follows still seems odd. Why is Ran fighting alone?
If there had been some help, she wouldn’t have ended up so battered, I thought.
As if answering my question, Gordric continued.
“So… since I wasn’t familiar with the circumstances here, I planned with Ran. I wanted to expose the situation widely and quickly capture the thieves, but…”
“Hm? Ran didn’t allow that? Why?”
“That’s because… if magic became widely known, it could be used for evil, and more than anything…”
“More than anything?”
“Hmm?”
“More than anything.” I tilted my head, wanting to hear more, but all that came from Ran was a muffled voice.
Hmm, foolish, perhaps? No, that’s too hasty a conclusion.
What thoughts led Ran to keep the power and information to herself? This was intriguing.
“Because I thought, ‘This is like my magical girl flag!’”
“Eh…”
At such a disappointing statement, my motivation plummeted.
No, Misaki says she understands, but in reality, that battered state was self-inflicted, and Ran just troubled me and Gordric.
And so, that fluttery pastel outfit was just a preference. Oh well…
“Ouch!”
“Bakasane-chan Chop. Reflect on your actions, okay?”
“Ow, it hurts… I’m sorry.”
Ran is a friend. So, don’t do dangerous things alone, I think.
Satisfied, I accepted the apology of the teary-eyed girl.
“Hmm… Quite an interesting child. I’ll keep her in my heart.”
So, at that moment, I didn’t notice the intensity in Gordric’s gaze, still floating in the air.