"Welcome, Miss Black Lily. My name is Mayor John. I apologize if our approach seems a bit discourteous. However, we wish to discuss matters more privately with you."

"I see…" I paused, taking a moment to observe the room.

"You don't have to engage in conversation with them if you're uncomfortable, Black Lily," Felicia communicated telepathically. "Considering your recent introduction to being a Magical Girl, it might be unfair for large corporations to engage in negotiations without you fully understanding the situation."

"Miss Black Lily, would you like some coffee?"

"No, thank you." I declined and took a seat, noticing everyone else seemed to relax a bit with my compliance.

"Thank you for your understanding. It's not often we have the opportunity for such candid discussion. Eden and the Guardian Command tend to monopolize the time of Magical Girls and Guardians," my father began, employing his flattery skills in an attempt to win me over. Witnessing this side of him was peculiar; it made me feel as if I were part of the main family, though I harbored no resentment towards him.

In many ways, I saw my own reflection in his actions. I remember being instructed by my father to make the new Magical Girl, Alice, feel welcome. So, I did just that—smiling, albeit reluctantly, and nodding along to her talks about movies and favorite Magical Girls. Yet, Alice managed to take our interactions a step further.

"So, to what do I owe the honor of talking directly to the head of Shirayuki's main family, Kageyama Shirayuki?"

"Ah! You're familiar with our family head. You must be from one of our affiliated branches. What a joyous occasion! Please, disclose the name of your father or mother; we'll ensure they're rewarded appropriately." The words of my father left a sour taste in my mouth, forcing me to introspect. Was my approach with Alice similar? Their smiles might have been masks for their true intentions, likely seeking an exclusive contract with me.

"Thank you. It seems an introduction was unnecessary. Hmm… Do I know you? Your recognition doesn't seem to stem from the newspapers but rather from personal familiarity."

"Felicia," I inquired through telepathy, feeling a chill down my spine. Was my identity compromised? That seemed unlikely, given even my father and the mayor, whom I've encountered frequently, hadn't recognized me. How then could this individual, whom I've only met in my early childhood, identify me?

"He shouldn't be able to pinpoint you unless you've divulged your name or shared knowledge exclusive to Yuri Shirayuki. His deduction likely stems from your reactions and expressions, which inadvertently confirmed his suspicions," Felicia advised.

"I thought my poker face was flawless."

"It might be effective if it was used amongst your peers. However, this individual operates on a significantly more discerning level."

"Let's get straight to the point. You're interested in an exclusive contract, aren't you?" I decided to confront the issue directly.

"Is this how you negotiate, Osamu?" he turned to my father, smirking rather than merely smiling. "No, I haven't approached you for a deal, not just yet."

Puzzled, I awaited his elaboration. "Trust must be the foundation of any agreement. Do we trust each other? That's the primary question. Yet, you seem already informed about the dealings with the three Magical Girls we've confidentially engaged through the Guardian Command, details of which should have been under strict confidentiality."

"I-I apologize, Sir Kageyama. It seems there has been a leak of information," my father faltered, his usual composure dissolving into repeated apologies.

"I reside in New Mesa, a city under Shirayuki's influence. It's only natural I'm privy to certain details."

"Indeed. You're already aware of our intentions, putting us at a disadvantage from the outset. Nonetheless, we hope to request something more, something that transcends monetary value."

"And what might that be?"

"Trust."

"?" I had never seen Kageyama like this, speaking in such roundabout ways. In the past, he was all about efficiency, valuing time as money and emphasizing the utmost diligence in work to my father and my cousins. Now, as a Magical Girl, his willingness to engage in a lengthy discussion surprised me.

"I want you to enter an exclusive contract with us, bypassing the Guardian Command. And if they attempt to intervene, which is likely, I'd appreciate if you could share the entirety of that contract with us."

"I understand."

"Wait, Black Lily," Felicia interjected, causing me to turn towards her.

"Stop… speaking to your familiar!! They are not to be trusted! Zenith views us merely as playthings, attempting to play god and orchestrating these events for their adulation." His sudden outburst caught me off guard, and I felt an indignant rage directed at me, urging me to address this unforeseen complication. Even though Felicia was invisible, he still caught me conversing with her.

"Felicia, manifest." Upon my command, my feline familiar appeared on the table, scanning the room. My trust in Felicia was unwavering, and now was the moment for her to vindicate herself.

"So, Sir Kageyama, why do you deem my familiar untrustworthy?" I asked him straight.

"What is your scheme? Black Lily?"

"It's as you mentioned, trust is foundational. We cannot progress in any deal without it. So, why do you distrust my familiar? Why should I place my trust in you over her?"

"Zenith has consistently denied our requests, refusing to engage in negotiations for money or positions, effectively stonewalling us. We've approached various Magical Girls and Guardians, yet all refuse our offers for Reality Enforcement Devices, emergency barriers, and mana generators. The manual barriers in New Mesa could have been significantly improved with more mana generators!"

"You live in New Mesa, correct? Have you ever been to Eden? Seen the differences between our cities?" His voice carried a passion that filled the room with tension, the anger palpable as it seemed to burst forth from the monitor. The atmosphere grew heavy as Mayor John, my father, and Miss Jeanne silently acknowledged his point.

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"I was born and raised in Eden and have lived in New Mesa for five years. I'm well aware of the disparities," I replied calmly.

"Do you believe we wish for the death of ten thousand people in New Mesa? We've faced severe criticism regarding the Reconquer Project, into which we've poured not just billions, but trillions of dollars. Yet, our efforts are continually thwarted by one entity: Zenith. They seem intent on confining us to sanctuary cities indefinitely, forcing us into perpetual subservience. Look at the current death toll in New Mesa—over two thousand lives lost."

"Felicia, what's your take on this?" Seeking a steadier perspective, I turned the conversation to my familiar.

"This discussion is likely to end in futility. Do you wish to proceed regardless?"

"Fuck you!" Kageyama spat. But I still trust her.

"Yes. I still wish to know." I nodded. Asking her politely.

"Understood. Let me make it clear: Zenith's interests lie not in your adulation. We have no need for it," Felicia's response was direct and uncompromising.

"Then why offer any assistance at all?" I pressed further, trying to uncover the logic behind their actions.

"The presence of Anathema represents a dire existential threat. It's imperative that humanity does not face extinction unchallenged."

"Then extend your help further!" Kageyama's frustration was evident in his plea.

"We have provided Magical Girls and Guardians. With adequate progression, they are capable of acquiring the resources you've mentioned."

"That's where the deceit lies! It's a farce, claiming that Magical Girls have the means to secure these assets. The reality is they're hindered by insurmountable barriers, whether it's due to an allocation of privileged points, financial constraints, or any other devised obstacles to keep us at bay."

"Why not offer us more direct assistance, Felicia? I've inquired about the Reality Enforcement Device before, which you mentioned was part of the Mythic section, right?"

"Yes, it exists there," Osamu and the Mayor responded, clearly surprised, whereas Kageyama remained calm. "That's an insightful question, Black Lily. I suspected you'd rise above the naivety often seen in others your age."

"Anathema represents an existential menace not just to our world, but to at least twenty others, with attacks escalating every decade. As such, we cannot afford to allocate all our resources to a single realm. Does this response suffice for earning your trust? I believe if you were to probe other Magical Girls' familiars as diligently, they would provide similar answers."

"...yes, I trust you. This information isn't new to me," Kageyama sighed, though his gaze held an unyielding spirit. "But what remains unclear is what you intend for us, and what Zenith's overarching strategy is. It's unreasonable to expect us to merely survive within sanctuary cities like refugees. Why give us Magical Girl? What are your end goals?"

"..."

"Fel?" I sought her insight.

"Our hope is for you to grow in strength and extend your aid across worlds."

"That hardly clarifies anything!" he exclaimed, frustrated.

"Sir Kageyama, the essence of a Magical Girl's progression—gaining experience through combating Anathema—leads to their empowerment, correct? Is that your objective?" I looked at her.

"Yes, but you're not yet prepared. Currently, fewer than a hundred Magical Girls have surpassed level 200. We need significantly more."

"Why not recruit from the MS battalion? They're seasoned warriors ready to sacrifice everything. Why focus on recruiting teenagers?"

"Because their physiology is incompatible with the soul gem," she explained.

"Out of a billion humans, there are only 7,000 compatible?" Kageyama leaned back in his chair, appearing dejected. His remark prompted me to contemplate the ratio of compatible individuals over two generations since Anathema and Zenith's emergence, relative to the total number of Magical Girls and Guardians.

"Physical compatibility requires a Mana resonance above 70%. Three hundred thousand individuals were detected to be compatible."

"Then…"

"Soul gems available: 7,500. Active: 7,025." Kageyama's frown deepened after hearing the news.

"You should have produced more soul gems," He commented.

"Of those online, 100 were qualified, but 30 declined. We need an additional 1,030."

"I understand now." Kageyama nodded thoughtfully.

"I trust this clarifies your concerns. I must caution against preventing Black Lily from interacting with Guardian Command. Such actions could limit her opportunities to undertake Anathema missions and quests for points."

"Why keep this information hidden?" I asked her.

"At the onset, when humanity was approached, the consensus was to defend Earth independently, rejecting our assistance. We respected their choice, continuing our support regardless of the perceived self-interest, to prevent Anathema from establishing a stronghold. Over time, a growing number of Magical Girls volunteered to help us when we told them this information discreetly. So, we shifted our approach from mandatory conscription to voluntary service. A 20% acceptance rate exceeds our needs. Publicizing this could provoke widespread backlash. The public as a whole still wanted more MG to serve them."

"And about the exclusive contract with Guardian Command…" Kageyama inquired.

"Exclusive contracts aren't coercively binding; Magical Girls remain free agents. We agreed to them to avoid allegations of abduction. Gradually, Guardian Command's leadership has become more receptive to our proposals, indicating an evolving trust. Thus, We assumed Earth's initial outright refusal was likely due to mutual unfamiliarity." Felicia's subtle rebuke seemed a metaphorical slap to Kageyama. "Our trust in humanity has grown through understanding."

"Those at Guardian Command…" he expressed with a frown.

"They're likely to assist us. True, many are motivated by profit, but that's acceptable. The intention was mutual aid, not survival at the expense of others."

"Hmm… I see. So that's your strategy? Why not open the gate to others from the start?"

"Unlocking the gate access to everyone poses risks. If Anathema captured it, they could instantly breach our home. Our priority is to secure your world before expanding gate access, allowing high-level Magical Girls to assist elsewhere. However, we do have a physical gate below the Guardian Command. That's where our help most likely comes from."

"Then, initiate that plan now! Why not participate in the reconquest project? Why help us so passively. Many have died, you know. Children!"

"The point system regulates the distribution of resources, prioritizing needs across worlds. We have yet to help you physically. The soldiers we employed decided other worlds needed to be prioritized. The resources we gave you were managed by UNH and Guardian Command. If you were not given the device by Guardian Command, you would have to buy it from the gate."

"How can we access the requested items we requested at the start of our conversation? And add a mana converter to that list?"

"To acquire a Reality Enforcement Device, you must unlock the Defense Device Vault [Mythic] with 7,000 points. This entails opening the defense turret vault [common], defense wall vault [common], and defense antennae vault [rare]. After unlocking these, progress through defense device vault [common] to [rare], [masterwork], [arcane], [legendary], and finally [mythic]. The initial purchase requires approximately 2 million points."

The complexity of the vaults and the points required made my head spin.

"The Emergency Barrier is accessible through the Defense Device Vault [Rare]," Felicia quickly clarified.

"The Mana Generator comprises three components found in the Power Cell Vault [Legendary], Mana Building Vault [Arcane], and Transformer Vault [Divine]. The Mana Converter is in the Transformer Vault [Masterwork], costing about 10 million points for the initial purchase."

"Well, it certainly seems like you've set a high bar for us."

"By the way, We can't let you buy everything at once, so Guardian Command must still work diligently to amass those points. Our resources are not boundless. A sudden influx of mana activity will also attract more Anathema. You guys weren't ready for it yet."

"I understand. This discussion was indeed futile," Kageyama sighed. "Thank you for the clarification, familiar, and thank you as well, Black Lily. Ordinary Magical Girls often refuse to discuss these matters, viewing us as merely evil or greedy corporate entities. They might not be incorrect. But it was unfair for them to apply that notion only to us."

"You're welcome." I nodded. Unlike other MG, I will neither laugh nor deride you. I have a selfish request myself.

"So, what do you desire? You've gained our trust, and as your companion pointed out, in the grand scheme, our concerns may seem minor. Yet, I am not so destitute as to offer nothing in return. Would a position in the company, a house, or perhaps a car interest you?"

My desires are truly personal. Amidst the grand talk of saving worlds and aiding others, my wish remains singular and self-centered.

"Could you cancel my engagement with Jonathan, uncle?"