Chapter 16 — You Don't Understand Magical Girls
"…First, force your cursed energy into rapid circulation—push it to the fastest flow you can manage…"
"…Then imagine it heating up as it moves at extreme speed. Let it grow hotter, almost scorching…"
"…And don't concentrate it too tightly. Yes—unlike most cursed energy techniques that demand compression, you need to spread it out. Flames are a relatively light phenomenon, after all…"
Five days had passed since Ren successfully mastered the Flame Technique.
By now, Mai had completely given up.
She didn't even bother with excuses like "maybe another day" anymore—she stated bluntly that she simply couldn't learn it.
"Rather than wasting effort on a technique that's impossible to master," she said with the calm confidence of someone who had absolutely no self-awareness,
"it's better to think about how to improve the efficiency of the technique I already have."
This was said with zero regard for the inconvenient fact that she herself had failed to improve her technique's efficiency for years.
As a result, Professor Ren's little classroom was now down to a single student: Miwa Kasumi.
That said, judging from the despair clouding the girl's fair face, and the way her clear blue eyes kept spinning like malfunctioning gears… she probably wouldn't last much longer either.
It had already happened several times.
Ren had been forced to deliberately wake her up—because she'd propped her chin on one hand, fallen asleep, and drooled all over the desk.
And yet—
Every single time, after hurriedly wiping away the drool, Miwa would straighten up and insist—firmly—that he continue.
She really was trying.
She truly wanted to succeed.
Her determination was no weaker than Ren's had been when he'd first obsessed over learning the Flame Technique himself.
But aptitude… was another matter entirely.
Just as Ren was wondering how to further break the learning process down—how to simplify it, reduce the burden, and make it easier for Miwa to grasp—
Bang!
The classroom door suddenly flew open.
The person who stormed in was someone who should've been back in the dorms, fast asleep.
"…Mai?"
Mai stood there, breathing a little hard.
Had Mai been infected by Miwa's enthusiasm and undergone a sudden personality change?
Before Ren could finish that thought, Mai spoke again.
"Someone's looking for you."
Before she could even finish the sentence, a petite girl with golden hair, a black dress, and a light, floating presence drifted in from behind her.
"Yo, little Ren."
The blonde spoke in a childlike voice, yet her tone was oddly mature.
"Been a few days—your complexion looks pretty good."
"How is it? Getting used to this school?"
As she spoke, she casually floated over to Ren.
…Little Ren?
The corner of Ren's mouth twitched. He stared at the blonde girl in the black dress—who barely reached his chest—and fell silent.
Still… she did have a reason to call him that.
This was Nishimiya Momo.
They'd met once at the hospital. And even earlier than that—back when Ren had still been in his "modified" state—he'd saved her during the chaos caused by that blue-haired stitched-face curse.
She was a second-year at Kyoto Jujutsu High, exactly one year above him.
A genuine, unquestionable senpai.
"Nishimiya-senpai," Ren said obediently, lowering his head.
Momo nodded, clearly pleased with his respectful attitude.
—If Ren knew what she was thinking, he probably would've laughed.
The reason he'd lowered his head wasn't out of deference to seniority.
It was because if he didn't lower his head, he literally wouldn't be able to see the top of hers.
"Just call me Momo-senpai," Momo said cheerfully, circling him once on her broom.
"Got it, Momo."
"…Hm?"
Something changed instantly on Momo's soft, peach-like face.
Beside him, Miwa hurriedly tugged on Ren's sleeve and whispered urgently into his ear:
"Say senpai! Momo-senpai!"
"Huh?" Ren was confused, but seeing Momo's clearly displeased expression—and Miwa's obvious panic—he decided it was safer to comply.
"Momo-senpai."
"Hmph."
Momo gave a small snort, and her expression finally relaxed.
Ren didn't quite get it.
From his perspective, being allowed to call her by her given name should've been a friendly gesture—one implying closeness and equality. But calling her by name and adding "senpai" felt oddly contradictory.
Thankfully, Momo didn't give him time to dwell on it.
"I need your help with something."
"There's a curse that appeared at a dojo in Kamigyo Ward. I want you to come with me and exorcise it—right now."
Short, direct, decisive.
"Alright."
Though surprised by the abruptness of the assignment, Ren agreed immediately. Exorcising curses was a sorcerer's job, after all—there was no reason to refuse.
"Right now?"
"Right now."
Ren immediately stepped forward.
But then—
"Wait," Mai said quickly. "Just the two of you, Momo-senpai? Don't you want us to come too?"
"No need."
Momo turned back, her expression serious.
"This curse is strong—a Grade One. It's not something you two can handle. Little Mai, little Miwa, stay at school."
"Grade One…?"
Mai and Miwa were surprised—but only for a moment.
Then both of them stared at Momo with even greater disbelief.
"…Why are you looking at me like that?"
Momo shifted uncomfortably, the faint blush on her nose deepening.
"Momo-senpai… aren't you… only Semi–Grade Two?"
Mai chose her words carefully.
A Grade One curse required a Grade One sorcerer. Momo was only semi–Grade Two—barely stronger than them.
This wasn't a mission they could handle—but Momo going alone didn't make sense either.
Ren also looked at the girl on the broom, equally surprised.
Momo coughed twice and said solemnly,
"My situation is… special. My technique has excellent compatibility with this curse. That's why I have to go."
After that brief explanation, she spun her broom in midair and turned back to Ren.
"Let's go."
"Okay."
Ren took a large step forward.
"Wait—where are you going?"
"To find an assistant supervisor and arrange transportation," Ren replied, puzzled. "We're not running there, are we?"
"No need for a car."
Momo slid over in front of him, golden hair fluttering, skirt swaying.
"For just the two of us, we'll fly. Flying's way faster than driving."
"Alright."
Ren immediately moved behind her.
Flying—he'd never tried that before. Flying on a broom, no less. It felt straight out of a fairy tale, and a spark of anticipation lit his eyes.
But just as he got close to the broom—
He suddenly stepped back.
"…What's wrong?" Momo frowned, glancing over her shoulder.
Ren stared suspiciously at the bare broom handle and was abruptly reminded of the difference between fairy tales and reality.
The image flashed in his mind: straddling that thin, hard, smooth pole, placing all his weight on it, then accelerating through the air—
His expression stiffened.
"Momo-senpai…"
He hesitated. "…Won't that… be really uncomfortable?"
"What are you talking about?" Momo snapped, annoyed.
"You don't understand magical girls at all! Just get on already!"