Give children a little self-destruction shock to their worldview.

“Hmm, maybe it would work if she were a magical girl who specializes in healing,” said Sayaka Miki.

Her feelings were a little complicated. She had witnessed Mayumi Haga's battle before, even though it was only for a few seconds. But she could tell that her opponent didn't cherish her that much.

When a person becomes like that, is it pitiful or admirable...?

Miki Sayaka knew that these untimely sentiments were not important to Haga Mayumi, and she simply kept them to herself.

Are all magical girls like that? If they become aware of what their true form looks like, will they all turn into Mayumi Haga?

Although there are differences between guardians and magical girls, Sayaka Miki subconsciously compared them because their structures were so similar.

Speaking of which, Mami-senpai also learned of this cruel truth...

“Mami is still trying to accept it,” Mayumi Haga said. “She sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night and cries, and she cuts her wrists when assimilation weakens, but overall she is still optimistic.”

“…Hey! This is not optimistic at all!” Miki Sayaka exclaimed in surprise.

Mayumi Haga took a sip of the ice water in her glass, her gaze calm: "Anyway, I won't die."

She lent her body to Mami Tomoe to revive, and some of her body's self-healing properties remained inside. It didn't matter if Mami Tomoe wanted to harm herself or use purple clay; her body would heal first.

Needless to say, she directly shared her spiritual protection, preventing Mami Tomoe's mental state from falling below the lowest value.

“...How brutal.” Sayaka Miki felt a chill run down her spine.

Mayumi Haga said, "You have to learn to accept it, no matter how. That's how cruel it is to be alive."

Her words were somewhat frightening. Sayaka Miki couldn't imagine how long the other person had been struggling under the curse of immortality to be able to say such a thing.

"Actually, Homura wants me to persuade you and Madoka Kaname—mainly Madoka Kaname—not to sign a contract with Kyubey and become magical girls. It's a cruel life that you middle school students can't even imagine," Mayumi Haga said.

"..."

“The torment of physical transformation is only one aspect. After transforming from a human into this form more suited for combat, you will gradually taste a heavier and more bitter flavor,” Mayumi Haga said. “From a warrior’s perspective, Mami is not really suited to be a magical girl, and neither are you.”

Despite appearing to be the weakest, Madoka Kaname actually possesses greater mental resilience; the seemingly carefree tomboy in front of her is actually full of worries.

Meanwhile, Mami Tomoe, who should have been stronger, is now slowly accepting her current situation with the help of Mayumi Haga.

Mayumi Haga sighed, "Being a magical girl here is definitely not a good job. It's better not to get involved."

Sayaka Miki astutely caught the key phrase in Mayumi Haga's words: "Magical girls here? You have magical girls where you are too?"

Oh right, the person in front of me is from another world.

Sayaka Miki is very curious about the so-called other world. Will the magical girls there be just as cruel as those here?

Side Story: Mayumi Haga and Madoka Magica: Madoka Magica Episode 19 - Not About Concern

Mayumi Haga is facing an unprecedented test of her emotional intelligence.

What should I do?

Do we really have to say it? Say it's a world where magical girls and monsters can live peacefully, a world where no tragedy will happen and everyone can be happy?

Mayumi Haga's rational mind told her that she should tell the truth, but her subtle emotional intelligence made her realize that saying it in this situation might seem like showing off.

Mami Tomoe, a senior magical girl, had recently been shot in the head by a witch and was still undergoing psychological treatment. Moreover, Sayaka Miki, who was in front of her, had also witnessed the head-shot scene and was left with psychological trauma. She realized that the living environment for magical girls in this world was extremely harsh... Now!

Should I really say it? Should I really say it out loud? That there's a world a hundred times happier than theirs...

“…It was a world with lots of orange juice,” Mayumi Haga said. “It was very bright.”

It was as bright as the world, but seemed warmer.

"Huh?" Miki Sayaka couldn't understand. She tried to analyze Mayumi Haga's fragmented logic, which was overly evasive. "...Why orange juice?"

Mayumi Haga guiltily looked away.

Seeing that Mayumi Haga was trying to remain calm while frantically trying to organize her thoughts, Sayaka Miki felt that she probably wouldn't be able to get anything out of her.

She stirred the orange juice in her glass, which looked paler as the ice on top melted, and took a sip through the straw.

Despite drinking the ice-cold orange juice, I didn't feel that refreshed inside.

After learning that becoming a magical girl could grant one wish, Sayaka Miki had a vague idea in her mind.

She might be able to make this wish for someone important to her.

Before learning the truth about magical girls and witnessing Mami Tomoe's tragic end, it was actually easy for her to make up her mind.

but now……

She hesitated for a moment.

She was, after all, just an ordinary, somewhat strong but still sensitive middle school student.

It's a bit too difficult for her to make such a heavy realization at such a young age.

Such hesitation caught the eye of Mayumi Haga, who felt a sense of relief.

Although Mayumi Haga wasn't that old when she became a Guardian, she had very few options at that time; if she hadn't become a Guardian, her life would have ended very quickly.

But Sayaka Miki is different.

She has a healthy body and precious relationships. She is ordinary and happy among children of her age. Even without choosing to become a magical girl, she could continue living her life.

Mayumi Haga doesn't think that Sayaka Miki absolutely cannot become a magical girl. The important thing is that the latter should make a well-thought-out decision when she has a better understanding of everything that magical girls need to face and a better understanding of herself.

Instead of being swayed by temporary impulses or deceived by false beauty.

Children can live carefree lives, but soldiers must make choices in the face of harsh reality.

In Mayumi Haga's eyes, Sayaka Miki is indeed still just a child.

"Sayaka Miki," Mayumi Haga said, "what made you want to become a magical girl?"

The face of Sayaka Miki was reflected in those clear black eyes.

The latter was stunned: "...I..."

"What kind of wish do you want to make?" Mayumi Haga stared at her, her sharp gaze seemingly able to pierce through her heart.

In that instant, Sayaka Miki remembered someone important to her.

If I make a wish, will it be able to heal that person's hand...?

"I see," Mayumi Haga said. "Wait for me a moment, I'm looking for something."

Miki Sayaka then realized that she had inadvertently spoken the words.

When she realized what was happening, Mayumi Haga placed a strange, dark plaster on the table.

Miki Sayaka: "...What is this?"

“It’s for treatment,” Mayumi Haga said. “Try sticking it on your arm.”

Her backpack contained medical resources from another world, including medicines to treat this condition.

Since the medical technology of this world can't achieve this, let's try another world.

“…Huh?” Sayaka Miki was stunned.

It seems...that's indeed the case.

If there were a way to heal Kyosuke Kamijou's hand besides magic, then Sayaka Miki wouldn't need to become a magical girl.

“So this is…” She was about to say something when she saw the plaster that Mayumi Haga had taken out seem to wriggle a little.

She was sweating profusely.

Mayumi Haga explained in a serious tone, "It's the foreleg of a one-eyed insect. Because it's so fresh, it will still move after being ground up and mixed with the herbs. That's how medicine works."

This is all thanks to her backpack for keeping things fresh.

Furthermore, during her travels, Mayumi Haga also learned many potion-making recipes.

There will always be one medicine that works.

"By the way, I can't learn witchcraft, so I've spent more time on potions," Mayumi Haga said confidently. "You can completely trust me!"

Miki Sayaka: "..."

That's not the problem; it's just that something really weird...

The eyeballs and insect remains inside the plaster were still moving... Could she really bring this thing to the hospital?

“That’s your problem,” Mayumi Haga said. “I don’t know Mr. Kamijou at all, and even if I brought him in, he wouldn’t trust me.”

“If I bring her in, she’ll be seen as someone who’s under too much pressure because modern medicine can’t solve her problems, and in desperation, she’s resorting to feudal cults.” Miki Sayaka closed her eyes in pain and slammed her head on the table with a loud “thump.”

The sudden shift from a light and airy magical style to a witchcraft style mixed with insects, lizards, and big-eyed creatures is just too shocking!

Seeing her like this, Mayumi Haga asked, "Don't you need it? Then I'll go ask Homura if she can use magic to heal..."

She reached out to take the plaster back, but was grabbed by Sayaka Miki's hand.

“No.” Sayaka Miki gritted her teeth. “I’m going to try.”

She paused for a moment, then said, "It's not that I hate that guy... that transfer student doesn't seem to be very good at healing, I feel like she'd use up too much magic... it's not that I'm thinking of her either, it would be terrible if she neglected her work and caused trouble when Mami-senpai wasn't around."

-----------------

On the other side, Homura Akemi stood in front of the crack, listening carefully to the sounds coming from inside.

She was certain she heard Mayumi Haga's name, and that the other person was speaking Japanese, which she could understand.

Suddenly, a hand emerged from the crack and, under Homura Akemi's gaze, forcefully braced itself against the edge of the crack.

Side Story: Mayumi Haga and Madoka Magica: Madoka Magica Episode 20 (Please Enter)

Mayumi Haga's cell phone vibrated in her pocket; a text message had arrived.

Considering that her phone in this world only has the contact information of Mami Tomoe and Homura Akemi so far, and that the former is still in the process of mental confusion adapting to her body, Mayumi Haga doesn't think Mami Tomoe would send her a text message.

That means Homura Akemi needs to talk to me.

Sure enough, it was a text message from Homura Akemi.

With just one sentence, Mayumi Haga was drenched in sweat.

—[Found the magical girl Crimson, return immediately.]

Haga Mayumi: "..."

The information was incredibly subtle from any angle, and her brain went blank for a moment.

what?

How did the magical girl from her other world get here?

Through that crack? This time, the collaboration is actually a reverse collaboration?

The biggest problem is...

Mayumi Haga knows the true identity of the magical girl Crimson.

After her homeland was destroyed, she drifted to another children's world that was willing to accept her, a homeless dog. In that world, there were also magical girls who used magic to protect the world.

Magical Girl Crimson is the most representative character among this generation of magical girls.

At the same time, she is also her childhood sweetheart, whom she has known since childhood and who lives near her home.

Hitomi Tono. This is the real name of the magical girl Crimson.

The problem is that Hitomi Tohno is unaware of Mayumi Haga's identity as a Guardian, treating her only as an ordinary person. From Mayumi Haga's perspective, Hitomi Tohno's attempt to conceal her true identity is practically nonexistent.

Hitomi Tohno is currently meeting Homura Akemi in her transformed form.

This means that when Mayumi Haga meets the other party later, if she doesn't want to reveal herself, she should pretend that she doesn't know anything and treat the other party as the kind-hearted, unfamiliar magical girl who often appears on TV and is coming to take her home.

Mayumi Haga: ...This is so troublesome.

"What happened?" Miki Sayaka asked curiously when she saw the rather complicated expression on Mayumi Haga's face after she finished reading the text message.

Mayumi Haga said, "It's nothing, just some helpful troublemakers have come knocking on our door."

Miki Sayaka: "..."

Wow... This person... would actually use a term like "helpful troublemaker"?

It seems a bit cheesy...

However, judging from their slightly gentler expressions, they must be very good friends.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave now,” said Mayumi Haga, placing a leather bag on the table. “Here are some potions that might be helpful; take them and try them out.”

"Oh, oh..." Miki Sayaka watched the other person's retreating figure and figured that the other person was probably in a good mood.