Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

After that, led by Taozi, Kohin met her two companions, Mizunami Rena and Akiya Kaede, at the station.

Unlike the Magical Girls in other places who mostly fight alone, the Magical Girls in Kamihama City are not only quite numerous but almost all form different small groups. The reason is that the number of witches in Kamihama City is unexpectedly high, almost to the extent that you can find a witch just by going out to buy a drink. In this situation, the practice from other places, where each Magical Girl claims her own territory, obviously doesn’t work in Kamihama City.

Therefore, in Kamihama City, Magical Girls mostly appear in groups. Taozi is the same; she has been working with these two girls for a while to investigate and defeat witches, and their relationship is quite good.

Unlike the straightforward Taozi, Mizunami Rena and Akiya Kaede each have different personalities. Akiya Kaede seems to be a very timid girl, always hiding behind Taozi. Mizunami Rena’s personality is more forceful, and she looks at Kohin with impatience—as if the other party owes her money.

”Looking for a sister? Why do you want us to do that?”

Mizunami Rena, with her arms crossed, complained impatiently after hearing Taozi’s explanation, then glared at Tamaki Iroha.

”Isn’t this someone else’s business? We still haven’t found that Chain Witch! Where do we have the time for this!”

”Alright, alright, don’t say that, it’s good to relax a bit and change your mind occasionally, right?”

Hearing Mizunami Rena’s annoyed response, Taozi couldn’t help but smile wryly, and Akiya Kaede joined in to help.

”Yeah, Rena, she came all this way to find her sister, she must be really anxious, right, this lady ...”

”Ah, I’m Tamaki Iroha.”

”So you are Kohin? Nice to meet you.”

”Hmph.”

Watching Akiya Kaede and Tamaki Iroha greet each other warmly, Mizunami Rena snorted discontentedly and then looked behind Kohin.

”So who is she?”

”Eh?”

Hearing Mizunami Rena’s question, both Taozi and Kohin were taken aback. They turned around and saw Red Ponytail standing behind them at some point, staring at them motionlessly.

”Whoa! Where did you come from! You scared me!”

”Eh? Weren’t you supposed to stay with Miss Yakumo?”

”......”

Faced with Taozi and Kohin’s words, Red Ponytail just tilted her head slightly, watching them without saying a word.

Seeing this, Kohin looked to Taozi in embarrassment.

”What should we do, Taozi......”

”Ugh...... There’s no choice, we’ll have to let her come with us. She seems to be very close to you, so it should be fine, right.”

”Is this really okay?”

”It’s better than leaving her here alone.”

”What are you guys talking about.”

Hearing Taozi and Kohin’s vague discussion, Mizunami Rena raised her eyebrows even more impatiently and questioned. Listening to her inquiry, Taozi could only let out a helpless wry smile.

”Alright, well, here’s the thing......”

Facing the two, Taozi explained everything about Red Ponytail to them in detail, and after hearing Taozi’s explanation, the two were stunned.

”What?! You’re not sure if she’s a Magical Girl or a witch?”

”Is it that dangerous? If she’s a witch, why not just eliminate her!”

”If you can do it, you’re welcome to try.”

Hearing Mizunami Rena’s words, Taozi rolled her eyes at her helplessly.

”She’s strong enough to instantly take down even Yachiyo; I heard that if Kohin hadn’t spoken up in time, Yachiyo would be dead now.”

”Ugh...... No way, even that Seven Seas......”

Hearing this, Mizunami Rena turned pale and quietly backed away, keeping a distance from Red Ponytail. Red Ponytail just stood quietly behind Kohin, watching everyone, without any reaction to their actions.

”Speaking of which, if this guy is a witch, why would she listen to the one called Tamaki Iroha? You really don’t know her?”

”I really don’t know her!”

Kohin waved her hands urgently.

”In fact, I also just arrived in Kamihama City a while ago, and then I saw her in a witch’s barrier. At the time, she was unconscious, almost attacked by the witch, so I thought she was a Magical Girl too...”

”But aren’t you here in Kamihama City to find your sister? Isn’t she your sister? I think you two look quite sisterly standing together.”

”Eh?”

Hearing this, Kohin was stunned for a moment. She turned her head and looked at Red Ponytail behind her. Indeed, from the outside, Red Ponytail seemed to be around twelve or thirteen years old. Standing together, they could indeed appear as sisters, but......

”She’s really not my sister; my sister’s name is Tamaki Yuu...... I think she’s supposed to be hospitalized at Satomi Medical Center here......”

”Hmph, I see......”

Mizunami Rena pouted, no longer concerning herself with such trivial matters, while Akiya Kaede comfortingly chimed in beside her.

”Alright, Rena, it’s just one day. We can go look for that Chain Witch tomorrow.”

”Um... could you tell me what this Chain Witch is?”

Seeing the atmosphere grow increasingly tense, Kohin hurriedly spoke up, trying to change the subject. Hearing her question, Taozi also nodded.

”Ah, that’s right. Iroha doesn’t know yet. Let’s walk and talk.”

As they headed to the medical center, Kohin heard from Taozi and the others about the so-called ”Chain Witch” they were tracking. According to Taozi, this witch was very different from previous ones, seemingly hidden within a rumor or urban legend.

The rumor goes that on the stairs from the fourth floor to the rooftop of a certain middle school, if you write your name on the sixth step and the other person’s name on the seventh step, it will be recognized as a permanent severance of ties. If the two people wish to reconcile, the first to apologize will be taken by the chain creature and locked in the severance staircase, forever cleaning that section of stairs.

”Could this be more than just a Kaidan?”

After hearing Taozi’s description, Kohin found it quite incredulous. Such Kaidan stories exist all over Japan, like the so-called Seven Wonders of the Academy. Kohin’s previous school also had a similar rumor. It said a delinquent student was once chased by a teacher for doing something bad, then accidentally fell from the rooftop. The steps leading to the rooftop became the ground for that delinquent, with rumors that bad kids climbing those steps would find an extra step, taking them to the delinquent ghost’s world...

Judging by its content, this ”Severance Staircase” rumor doesn’t seem too different.

”If it were just a rumor, that would be one thing.”

At this, Taozi’s expression grew serious.

”But in reality, of the six people who wrote their names on the Severance Staircase, three are already missing.”

”What?!”

Hearing this, Kohin was startled.

”So you think this is the work of a witch?”

”Yes, we do think this matter is closely related to a witch.”

Just then, with a ”ding,” the public bus stopped.

Satomi Medical Center was reached.

In Tamaki Iroha’s memory, her sister was hospitalized here with two other girls her age. However, when she inquired at the front desk, she received a deeply disappointing answer—hospital staff told her that Tamaki Yuu’s name was not on the inpatient list. It was missing from both the inpatient and outpatient lists, leaving Tamaki Iroha very disheartened. She had hoped to find some clues, but now it seemed this lead was also cut off...

”I see...”

After listening to Kohin’s report, Taozi showed a troubled expression.

”What do you plan to do next?”

”I want to try sneaking into the wards, see if I can find any clues...”

Though Kohin didn’t really want to resort to this, there were no other options. But sneaking in wasn’t too difficult for her; after all, she was a Magical Girl, with skills akin to 007, avoiding cameras and security to investigate inside the hospital wasn’t entirely impossible.

”Ah, that’s right!”

At that moment, Akiya Kaede seemed to think of something and clapped her hands with a smile.

”Why not have Rena help us out?”

”Huh?”

”Rena can transform into other people. It’s a really powerful magic.”

”Is that so?”

Hearing what Kaede said, Kohin looked at Mizunami Rena in surprise. Rena just scoffed and turned her head away.

”I won’t do it. If we get exposed, I’ll be the one in trouble! Besides, why should I go that far for someone else’s matters?”

”Helping out won’t hurt you!”

Unexpectedly, the first one to erupt was the usually calm and introverted Akiya Kaede.

”Rena, you always use magic at irrelevant times, but when it’s truly needed, you don’t!”

”What’s ’irrelevant’ about it? Besides, who even knows if Tamaki Yuu exists!”

”She definitely exists! Iroha became a Magical Girl just for her sister!”

Saying this, Akiya Kaede even slammed the table in excitement.

”There’s absolutely no mistake about it!”

”How would I know other people’s wishes?!”

Facing Kaede’s pressing words, Mizunami Rena got agitated.

”And Kaede, didn’t you become a Magical Girl for something as ridiculous as protecting your family garden? That’s hilarious!”

”It’s not ridiculous at all. That’s my most important wish!”

”This...”

Watching the two suddenly start quarreling, Kohin was at a loss for what to do. She looked from one to the other, unsure of what to say. Meanwhile, Red Ponytail just sat quietly beside Kohin, sipping on her drink, utterly unconcerned with the argument before her.

Yet, the quarrel intensified, until finally, in a huff, Akiya Kaede shouted, ”I want to break up with Rena,” grabbed her backpack, and left. Rena responded, ”Suit yourself!” and left without looking back.

This left only Taozi shaking her head in sighs, a bewildered Kohin, and—Red Ponytail, still sipping her cola...