The Evil Scientist is Too Competent

Of course, even though she was a powerless failure, Ayle had never intended to become a villain. However, the thought that being a villain would allow her to see magical girls whenever she wanted made her readily accept the offer.

After joining the villain organization, she hadn’t really accomplished anything noteworthy. She hadn’t even encountered a magical girl, nor had her existence ever been acknowledged in the world.

If only I had that dress… then maybe…

Ayle gazed at the dress laid out before her. The handmade magical girl costume that would have rotted away in her fantasy notebook for eternity.

A dress that someone without talent, charm, or courage like her could never wear.

The attire of a magical girl, something meant only for the chosen ones.

And now, it was right in front of her.

Could I really become a magical girl?

Ayle recalled the magical girls she had encountered. They were beautiful, sparkling, brave—those who saved people.

Pure magical girls who championed virtue and justice.

I want to become a magical girl…

She wanted it so badly.

And now, the scientist was trying to fulfill her dream with the power of science. Ayle steadied her racing heart and headed towards her bed.

Her grand plan was to jump into bed and knock herself out. Then she would wake up tomorrow and hit herself again to faint… If she repeated that enough times, she could finally try on the completed magical girl outfit!

A flawless plan. She was about to put it into action when she struck her head just hard enough to make her shed a few tears from the pain, ultimately abandoning the idea.

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!

The World’s Enemy burst through space, revealing its presence.

Instantly, alarms began blaring throughout the entire city.

[An Enemy of the World has appeared in City H. Residents are advised to evacuate to shelters…]

As sharp sirens blared, announcing the appearance of the World’s Enemy, a magical girl who received the alert promptly sprang into action.

“─Sparkling youth, shining gem! Magical Girl Jewelry Sapphire! I’ve arrived!”

With a cute catchphrase, Jewelry Sapphire made her entrance. After confirming that there were no civilians nearby, she let out a deep sigh.

She, too, didn’t want to partake in this cheap theater, but not long ago, a video of her senior smoking and recklessly attacking a monster while thinking he was alone had been leaked, causing her popularity to plummet.

While part of her wished to disregard popularity altogether, she couldn’t. A magical girl’s salary was proportional to her popularity.

It wasn’t particularly unusual for magical girls to engage in activities similar to celebrities. After all, these poor souls had to fight otherworldly monsters instead of studying and attending academies, leaving them unable to secure a stable job.

Yet, they couldn’t leave the World’s Enemy unchecked either. Magical girls marketed themselves like products. They enjoyed popularity exceeding that of celebrities and raked in money. There were even management agencies to help those magical girls who struggled in this cutthroat world.

This ridiculous job… How long can I keep this up? I should just take what I can and bail!

It had already been seven years since she started this gig. By now, one would expect to feel burnt out, yet she continued to shout her well-worn lines for a reason. Jewelry Sapphire wore a wry smile as she looked at the World’s Enemy before her.

It was the same old tentacled monster. It was as if the word “freshness” had been completely erased from its existence—no variation whatsoever. Each time, they sent the same horrendous-looking monsters. It was absolutely maddening.

“─I won’t let you hurt the homes of innocent people!”

However, Jewelry Sapphire acted professionally. She recited her worn-out line, one she had repeated hundreds, if not thousands of times, and unleashed her magic. A high-pressure water cutter shot out from her magic wand, slicing the monster’s body in half.

In an instant, without any real fight, she dispatched the monster. Then, utilizing her powers, she slightly dampened her hair and manipulated her outfit to cling to her body, revealing a hint of her lingerie, while soaring toward the shelter where people gathered. Moments later, just as the sirens rang to signal the end of her hunt, journalists rushed in to film her.

It was all a business. Far removed from pure intentions; simply business.

*

Name: Jewelry Sapphire

Ability: Magical Girl Transformation

Description: A magical girl with sapphirine blue hair. She wields water-based magic. This year marks her seventh year. She’ll become an adult next year—already too old to be considered a “girl.”

*

[Fire Blast—!]

[Star Light—!]

[Charged Particle Cannon—!]

“Hmmm…”

Day three of my research on evil magical girls.

I was analyzing videos of magical girls in action, trying to dissect their powers. But no matter how many times I watched, I just couldn’t comprehend how it was even possible.

They summon fire and water out of thin air? Where does that energy even come from?

According to what I found on the wiki, magical girls’ powers are said to stem from their love, purity, and innocence—essentially their “femininity.” What utter nonsense. At first, I thought there might be some special mineral representing femininity, so I searched intensely. After about thirty minutes, I realized that was not the case at all.

Honestly, typical of a world that felt like it came straight out of American comics, magical girls could manifest magic without any conditions. It defied all laws of physics and mocked Newton from his grave.

But that can’t be right.

Of course, it truly can’t be. If this world were as insane as to disregard physics, the planet would never remain stable in the first place. It would have long been shattered, and Earth would merely be a speck of dust among the cosmos.

Just as ancient people thought the Earth was the center of everything, none had found the proper energy source that magical girls utilized.

Which means, if I could find that energy source, I could replicate a magical girl.

Hmm… but that sounds like a hassle, so I’ll just substitute it with crystals instead.

But was there really a need to go that far? I already had a satisfactory substitute. The thread used to make the dress was perfect for that. I had soaked the thread in a special liquid made from energy crystals I gathered from this world, letting it marinate for three whole days.

The dress crafted from that thread was already filled with energy, and on the inner lining, I had created patterns that could function as circuits. Scissors-Jijo had put in quite the effort to make those circuits.

So, what was left for me to do? All I needed was to create magical girl tools that could effectively utilize this energy. It was the most perplexing part, but it was also the one area that didn’t require too much contemplation.

Because I already had a complete list of what to create.

─A magical girl has to have this…!

─Please make this too…!

─F-Fight on! Go, Scientist!

I chuckled wryly as I looked at the notebook Ayle had handed me. The list of her requests. Just thinking about completing all of that already gave me a headache.

I just needed to make sure it all got done somehow. I thought to myself as I immersed myself in crafting the tools, counting day and night while chugging down energy drinks from the convenience store.

As a result, after enduring a splitting headache, I barely managed to finish the magical girl outfit.

“It’s… done.”

I sneakily pulled out my smartphone and texted Ayle. A message telling her that the outfit was ready for her to come pick it up. After sending it off, the fatigue hit me like a truck, and I collapsed on the sofa. As soon as my eyelids fluttered shut, sleep overtook me.

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!

“Scientist…?”

Receiving a text from Eight, Ayle cautiously entered his laboratory. With a gentle push, she opened the door, taking in the sight of a lab that hadn’t been tidied up in quite some time. A slight musty smell lingered in the air.

Feeling a bit uneasy at the sight, she navigated through the lab, careful not to step on anything scattered on the floor. Since Eight had called for her, she figured he was probably taking a break in the lounge…

Upon entering the lounge, Ayle spotted Eight, fast asleep on the sofa.

“Ah, um—Scientist…?”

Debating whether she should wake him, Ayle decided it was rude to disturb someone who was peacefully asleep, so she turned to leave the lounge. But just as she was about to turn away, her eyes fell upon a dress that had miraculously come into view.

It was the magical girl dress she had longed for so much.

“He really did finish it…”

Not entirely sure what had been completed, she came to check, but could it be that it was already done? She figured that even if it took Eight one or two years to finish the outfit, she wouldn’t have held any grudge against him.

To replicate a magical girl’s power through science? That was something no nation or ability user had ever achieved. And to think it was finished in just a few days?

I-Is it okay if I try it on?

Though she wondered if she should even touch it without permission, Ayle couldn’t suppress the impulse to try on the dress. Right there, she discarded her own clothes and reached for the dress.

Unlike the old days when she would require assistance to wear it, now the dress climbed onto her body the moment she reached for it. It clung to her as if it had been waiting for its owner.

Moments later, Ayle, now transformed into the Evil Magical Girl, instinctively realized what she was able to do. She could feel in her very essence what power resided within that outfit…

It wasn’t something she had obtained through the crafting process; it seemed to be an inherent power of the dress itself. And so Ayle immediately activated her abilities. Her dark magic wand conjured a magical mirror in front of her.

“Oooh… Eeeek…!”

In the mirror stood Ayle, transformed into a magical girl.

A girl who, lacking talent, charm, and courage, had never been able to become a magical girl.

Now, with the power of science, she had defied her fate and grasped magic as a high-ranking member of evil.

She felt so elated that tears began to well up. As she desperately tried to wipe away the tears that flowed incessantly, Ayle continued to sniffle.

T-Thank you… Scientist…

She directed her gratitude toward the Scientist who was still lying in the lounge. He had helped her reclaim her dream. He had done his duty as an evil scientist.

Then it was her turn to rise. Just as Eight had fulfilled his responsibilities as an evil scientist, it was now time for her to carry out her obligations as a high-ranking member of the evil organization and as an evil magical girl.

Moments later, having stopped crying, she took out her smartphone and dialed her boss. It didn’t take long for Regalia to pick up.

[Ayle? This is a rare occurrence. You’re the one reaching out… ]

“B-Boss. I-I want to deploy.”

“Huh…?”

“I want to deploy…!”

Caught off guard by her unexpected contact, Regalia fell into silence for a moment, but soon grasped the situation and issued her command in a boss-like fashion.

[─Make sure to do well. Ayle.]

“Boss…!”

[Deploy! I grant you permission in the name of Evilus!]

“Yes…!”

With permission granted, Ayle, still donned in her Evil Magical Girl outfit, flew off toward the neighboring city. City H—The city of happiness where magical girls gathered.

END OF CHAPTER